Recently I read a post my dear friend Cheryl Smith of Homespun Devotions wrote about her one word for 2015. It really struck me. Her word was PREPARE. It's an acronym you can read about here.
I was struck with her acronym PREPARE. I took out a notecard and wrote each word.
Purging, Reducing, Eliminating, Pruning, Anticipating, Releasing, and Expectation
I also copied down her quote, "He can break any chain, if we are willing to let go of what is enslaving us."
God is getting ready to make some changes in our family's life. I can feel it. He spoke to me during worship one Wednesday night. I had been teetering on the edge of depression... holding on as hard as I could but feeling my fingers slip. Sad over the changes as my children grow older and near the edge of the nest. Missing their little boy and girl days. Anyway, here's what He said to me.
Release their childhood.
Embrace who they are now.
Prepare them to launch.
Build your marriage.
Serve them all.
I agonized in prayer and worship. I know it's the path I must take and will take. But I will only be able to do so with His help.
Part of releasing their childhood will be to purge a lot of books from our shelves, totes, and boxes. There are a lot of other things that are no longer part of the life we are living or will live in the future, but I've clung to them. They must go also. I'm not yet sure how. God has some things to show me if I'll watch and listen.
Laura
Harvest Lane Cottage
by the banks of Center Creek
at the edge of the Missouri Ozarks
Praise God that he still listens to our prayer and answers.
ReplyDeleteYour making good headway on your fall bucket list too.
Thank you All Thingz!
DeleteI love this. Thank you for sharing this bit of wisdom. I love the idea of a word of the year. I'm considering doing something like this for 2017. I think it could give purpose and direction for the year.
ReplyDeleteI know a lot of ladies do it. I've not done it yet. Maybe 2017 will be the year—if God gives me the word.
DeleteOh, dear, precious friend! I am in tears as I read your heart-wrenched words this morning. Partly because I SO appreciate your friendship and your sweet mention in this post, and partly, because I SO understand where you are. It hurts me to the core to let go of Zach's baby days...I have cried so hard over it all. I know God is ushering in a new season in our lives, as well, and it just hurts so much to let go of "what was". But, if we don't do that, we will be stuck in a past that no longer exists...that is the part that hurts the most. Recently when Zach was going though a difficult time, he had to stoop down to cry on my shoulder, and the problem he was going through was NOT something I could fix. I wept as I told him how I long for the days when ALL of his troubles could be fixed by a kiss, a hug, and time spent rocking him in that old, rocking chair. I have had to release that old chair, too, along with thousands upon thousands of memories. Zach is way taller than me now, and the chair was getting frayed. When you have a child, you surely do not realize how much it will hurt to let go of the days when they needed you so much...I SO understand ALL you said and are going through, and I want you to know that I am praying for you, and I love and appreciate you SO much. I am thankful God has placed us in each other's lives to walk this journey together...to comfort one another and cheer each other on. We are kindred spirits. God bless you and hold you extra close as you courageously step forward into this new season. I believe there are GOOD things ahead for you and your dear family, and God is going to bless you all abundantly...I can feel it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Cheryl. I feel we are kindred spirits, too. I will echo what you said to me, because it applies to you as well my dear.
Delete"I believe there are GOOD things ahead for you and your dear family, and God is going to bless you all abundantly...I can feel it."
Oh Laura, Just what I needed today. Today is my first day of an empty nest. My "baby" left for boot camp yesterday. It is so painful to let them go- it is like labor again- the pain of pushing them out into the world again. I know I mostly did a good job and I am so proud of him so it is not that at all. I just miss him so already and LOVED my 33 years of mothering. So I feel your pain... I must make a new normal and I will but not today.
ReplyDeleteOh Angela! HUUUUUGGGG! May you feel Holy Spirit filling you with God's love and His Shalom peace. Nothing missing, nothing lacking, nothing broken.
DeleteThank you for sharing this with me. I'm glad it encouraged you. I hope you'll stay in touch.
God bless you.
Laura
Good post. God provides great seasons for our lives.
ReplyDeleteWe just need to 'grasp' them and Bloom.
That sounds just like something my Grandma Mamie would have told me. You're a wise lady. I don't want to miss anything now by mourning over the lost past.
DeleteI'm struggling with some of these same things right now. My oldest is plenty old enough to move away when she's ready. Our second child is only 17 and he talks of moving out. My youngest is 11, so it will be a few short years. I'm trying to be excited about who they are and what they get to do next. Big stuff! Thanks for the honesty!
ReplyDeleteStacy
You're welcome Quiltiferous. It doesn't seem to be an easy transition for anyone.
DeleteIt's so hard to let them go and spread their wings. Actually it's kind of scary. Prayer is always helpful for sure. Have a great day Laura!
ReplyDeleteYou're right about prayer Vickie. And I thought potty training and teaching them to read was hard!
DeleteWhen we wereyounger an older friend advised us to put energies into our marriage because it outlasts our children's childhoods. I wish we had paid closer attention to her but we focused our time and energy raising our kids. When they left the nest we had a difficult time adjusting to just each other. It has taken some hard work and time to do it!
ReplyDeleteI received similar advice but found myself wrapped up in the kids because of homeschooling. There will be some adjustment and building for my husband and I, too. It's just coming sooner than I thought it would! Thanks for encouraging me.
DeleteLaura
I love that acronym she uses. I can understand to some degree as I have my first born setting his sails. I see my daughter begin to come out of sweet childhood to preteen/ teen age years. What a blessing God speaking to you. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Mrs. Chrissy, may God help you to grow through this season. Hold tight to His Word. He will speak to you through it, too. Hugs!
DeleteThis is what I needed to hear today -- I'm in the same season of letting go -- my youngest will graduate next year from our home school. Thank you for sharing -- I will write your acrostic in my journal, Laura.
ReplyDeleteIt's Cheryl's acrostic, but it helped me. I, too, homeschool. I've been doing it over 20 years now. Just four years left. I don't know what I'm going to do when I'm done. I'm glad this helped you today. Do come again, and thanks for talking back.
DeleteLaura
OH Laura,
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you went to God with your sadness, and How wonderful that He always is there for us , and cares.
I so understand, how you feel..It has been awhile since our kids left, but it was the hardest thing to go through.. Spending our lives raising them, all the cute and fun things they did and said.. But, the hardest thing for me, was sitting the supper table, sitting 2 plates instead of 4. Heart breaking is all I can say. We had our first child after 1 yr of marriage. So we had never per-say been alone. Now , here we were , just the 2 of us. whew..... such an adjustment. But.. I promise you... it will be ok, You and hubby will settle into a life of 'getting to know each other again".. and first thing you know [for us, it was about 4-5 yrs] they will give you wonderful gifts from God....called grandchildren. Just icing on the cake for sure.. And through all these changes.. God is there to help you through.
There are still days that I miss My babies.. even though I have the grandkids.. I miss mine.. Then God shows His gentle love and I feel the smile on my face, and the peaceful heart.. Hugs my friend.
Thank you Judy. You've encouraged me. Mine are 25 (on his own), 19 in college and at home, 17, and 15. I didn't think about how they would suddenly be busy and away from home so much!
DeleteOh dear Laura, my heart goes out to you, because I am currently experiencing kids who are spreading their wings as well. Whoever gave you the advice about cultivating your relationship with your husband is so right, because your kids are going to move on, and your husband will be the one relationship that will come to mean the most to you in the years to come. And I want to share a piece of advice that a dear sister in the Lord always shared with me when my kids were young and sometimes life was overwhelming... she said wherever you are at, find someone who is having a harder time than you, and find something to do to help them. It is always better to look up and be thankful things aren't as bad as they could be. {smiles} Hugs to you dear friend, praying for you, and yes, this is just a season that the Lord has you in, for a reason :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Spicing Up. You always encourage me. I feel your kindness. Be blessed!
DeleteHi Laura,
ReplyDeleteOooo! Your friend's quote is SOOO good and right on the mark. Thanks for passing it on.
Blessings,
Mrs.B
You're welcome.
DeleteIt is hard seeing your children grow up so quickly Laura. But trust me, the best is yet to come! Hubby and I had withdrawals at first when we became empty nesters. Now we love it and the grands are a wonderful bonus!! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
Thanks for the encouragement, Jann.
DeleteThis was a good post for me to read right now! Would you believe my children are 37, 39 and 44 and I'm still holding on to some of their books and school awards and papers? I'm going to take this to heart and release all their things to them for their children to enjoy, keep or throw away. I don't care what they decide, I just know I've done my due diligence in caring those things this far.
ReplyDeleteThis was a good post for me to read right now! Would you believe my children are 37, 39 and 44 and I'm still holding on to some of their books and school awards and papers? I'm going to take this to heart and release all their things to them for their children to enjoy, keep or throw away. I don't care what they decide, I just know I've done my due diligence in caring those things this far.
ReplyDelete