A Season of New
A new decade of life, a new year of marriage and a new member of our family-all in 6 days. No wonder I’ve been just a tad emotional these past 3 weeks. The day Audrey was born, we all sat down to dinner and quiet tears started streaming down my face. I looked at Christopher holding Audrey and the rest of our brood and he said, “Here we are, our first night with a table for six”. I cried some more, then as always one of the kids asked “What kind of tears are those mama?”. I replied, “Happy ones, very happy ones.” I went on to explain to them that I was overwhelmed, in the best way, with the treasures around my dinner table.
There has been this inexplicable sense of expectation and anticipation for me as I approached my 30th birthday, Audrey’s birth and our wedding anniversary. The past year or so has been a challenging one for sure and we’ve had a lot to work on. As we have persevered and struggled our way through, we are emerging into a beautiful place together that we’ve never known before. Not a perfect place, but a place where I think twice before I criticize or tear down with my words, a place where I don’t complain about things around the house that aren’t done, a place where we make an effort to show tenderness even when we’re exhausted-a place where we are stepping forward holding hands instead of holding back.
From the moment we found out we were expecting another little person, I had such a strong sense that her coming would be part of our re-birth and renewal. God impressed on my heart dozens of times that her entrance into our family was symbolic of the new work He was doing in our life together. As He breathed new life into ‘us’, He gave a new life that would become a part of us.
For some people turning 30 or any year older for that matter, is the beginning of the downhill slide to old age. To me, it feels like the beginning of a new era, a fresh start. A chance to enjoy the journey more and to worry less about the small things that don’t really matter. A new season where each day, each moment is a gift.
Karissa
(The photos are new blooms in our yard-isn’t springtime wonderful?)
Comments
Welcome, welcome, I’ve been dying to see you here and knew it would come, all in good time. Thank you for your beautiful words and for a mama’s perspective. I am so thrilled for you and yours–for the life you have waiting in front of you–and for the new child that you have as a tangible symbol of that. What an AMAZING God we serve! Do you just shake your head in wonder?!
Good to hear from you Karissa! Thank you for encouraging me by sharing your heart!
Sheesh!! I am reading this at work and got tears in my eyes! What you said is absolutely beautiful. I love you so much.
by the way, i am so happy to see that you posted on the blog.
Hi Karissa, thank you for sharing some of the things that you’ve been walking through with each other and leaning into God with! We can relate in many ways, we definately felt this way with our son Gideon being born, (actually each child kind of embodied a new beginning of sorts), anyway your post was encouraging & heart warming. I’m turning 30 next month, and have had mixed feelings about it. I feel like I’m walking into womanhood, and maturity which I definately welcome. Again, thank you for being open and for praising God for all that He’s provided (that in itself is encouraging). Talk to you soon Karissa. Love through Christ, Heather
The flowers you chose to start and end with are the two things I focused on as I left my last visit. The pink is the same flower a person gave to me from school (a new blossoming friendship) and the second was the snawball as I drove away
thinking of how I had heard you say at one time it was a favorite and I noticed how it is flourishing this year. Your little new flower (Audrey Rose) is even more beautiful. How Rylee glows as she feels the importance of caring for Audrey Rose. There seems such a closeness with all of the men folk. The drawing together of everyone to do their part to make the family wheel turn is so visible. The sun/Son seemed to shine as I read your words. Thank you for rounding out the blog with softness and beauty. I pray each plant in the family garden will thrive.
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