Summer's End: The Threshold of a New Season

I wish I had pictures of last night to share, but on the other hand, there are times when I just don't want to stop and fuss, but would rather enjoy the moment...

I think we can call our summer break officially ended as of last night. Our good friends came over and we grilled salmon and chicken, baked sweet potato fries, steamed broccoli glazed with butter, garlic and balsamic vinegar, made a huge salad with feta, pecans, craisins and champagne vinaigrette, and enjoyed some very nice wine with it all. The kids played wonderfully together, watched a movie, chased each other around with marshmallow guns, and gave us a spontaneous fireworks display that was left over from Matty's 10th birthday (when we actually forgot to set them off). This lasted for quite a while, as he had amassed quite a stockpile of explosives!

Tired and full of fun, we flopped into bed, and now today I will put together the week's lesson plans, wrap up the weekend laundry, and put kids to bed early tonight. The cooler fall weather and rain is already in the air. I could not have asked for a more perfect end to a great summer, which began just as nicely with a week-long beach vacation at the Outer Banks on Memorial Day weekend.

Tomorrow we begin week two of our Tapestry of Grace curriculum and meet for the first time with our group. We are all excited to step out on this journey with some friends to help make it fun.

But as I read this over I have to consider a Facebook conversation this morning amongst a few of my mom friends, one of whom said she almost wants to shut down her account to protect herself from all the rosy reports of other moms who seem to have it all together. Of course, I am one who is more than willing to post a "rosy report" of children's behavior or a perfect summer evening on facebook or my blog.  Why am I writing about this in the first place? It is because last night was nearly a perfect evening that I want to record and share it because such times are rare. Perfect behavior from my children is even more rare--you'd better believe I'm going to write that down. The average evening involves tired parents, rowdy kids, needling to get chores done, discipline for crummy attitudes, stress over the plans for the next day's lessons, the occasional headache, the plans that didn't work out just right, the argument over what was supposed to be a good dinner...These I don't share--who wants to? But this I want to share, because when the average evening is present in all its daily-ness, I want to remind myself that great days happen, too. 

This summer has felt very long, and at times I felt I was taking on too much. Planning the new fall schedule seemed overwhelming, and I wondered if I was hearing God correctly when I felt called to continue taking part in a ministry that takes me far away from home weekly, for a whole evening. Surely he couldn't mean for me to do that on top of the new homeschool group that we were forming! But as each element was surrendered in prayer to his management, I watched him remove things from the calendar to give me time to rest, rearrange the fall schedule to give me breaks between each thing, bring wonderful friends alongside to help, and even enjoy date-night swaps. Every detail has been tended to by the Best Manager of all.

Proverbs 16:9
   In his heart a man plans his course,
   but the LORD determines his steps.

How grateful I am that I have witnessed His hand at work in this way all summer long, and it builds my faith to trust even more that I don't have to worry about details when I know He knows them all, and will manage them to His glory.  It all began with surrender...and now I am excited to cross the threshold of summer into fall and see how it will all come about. I will continue call for help and rejoice with others when they are victorious.

Psalm 20    

For the director of music. A psalm of David

¹ May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
   may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
² May he send you help from the sanctuary
   and grant you support from Zion.
³ May he remember all your sacrifices
   and accept your burnt offerings.
                         Selah

⁴ May he give you the desire of your heart
   and make all your plans succeed.
⁵ We will shout for joy when you are victorious
   and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
   May the LORD grant all your requests.
 ⁶ Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
   he answers him from his holy heaven
   with the saving power of his right hand.
⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
   but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
⁸ They are brought to their knees and fall,
   but we rise up and stand firm.
 ⁹ O LORD, save the king!
   Answer us when we call!