The Summer of My Discontent

Summer is drawing to an all-too-quick close here in central Louisiana. Actually, I am not a huge fan of summer. Hot is not my thing, and it is sweltering here right now. Sweat and I are not good friends. I am really okay with summer being almost over for these reasons. Bring on the cooler weather and most importantly, FOOTBALL SEASON!!!!

This summer has not been terribly busy for us. We were gone on our "struggle bus" vaction for 10 days, but other than VBS, swim lessons for Zach, and a quick trip to my dad's for the Fourth of July, we have stuck pretty close to home. That is not all bad for the preacher's family, who is often gone from home way too much.

I have struggled this summer with being discontent. I hate the weather. I hate the kids being at home ALL THE TIME. I have hated the illnesses of the summer. Evan was sick several weeks ago, and then I have been sick this past week. I especially disliked the week we had last week of so much stress. It has been a hard one. I feel as if I have wished away this summer and not enjoyed it for what it could have been. I have felt "beat down," as Stewart and I often say.

However, this has been the constant watchword the Lord has given me: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:8-9) I may be down, but I'm not out. God is faithful. If you have been reading this blog any time at all, you have seen that. There is no reason for my discontentment. I am not crushed. I am not in despair. I have not been abandoned, as the enemy so often likes to tell me. I have not been destroyed. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
‭‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:16-18‬)

My current emotional crisis (These come around a lot. Just get used to it.) is that Zach is leaving tomorrow to go stay with Aunt Jan and Uncle Phil FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK! When he comes back next Sunday, Stewart and I will have just left for a conference in Nashville, so he will come back to Gram's. If you're counting, we'll be without Zach for 12 DAYS!!! We've never been without him that long! So we're soaking him up today. Here is a picture I took of he and his brother Thursday night because they had on almost the same shirt. They are such precious brothers, y'all. God gifted Zach to be the brother Evan needed. If that doesn't prove His faithfulness, I don't know what does!

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