Life is starting to settle into comfortable patterns, signalling a return to some manner of normalcy. I don’t have big, earth-shattering things to give thanks for – but I am thankful for the ebb and flow of life, for seasons that come and go, for finding rhythms in each new season.
This week I’m thankful…
…for an afternoon off
Once a week, Daniel comes home early so I can go grocery shopping without Tirzah Mae. I breastfeed her, load up my books to return to the library, and head out on errands. While shopping itself is not my favorite tasks (except that I love cooking and love to be frugal, I’d probably hate shopping), I love the brief (or not so brief) visit I can make to the library before I shop. Those afternoons off, and especially the quiet of a book-filled library, do wonders for my soul.
…for connections
It’s taken a long while to get connected at our church. We love the preaching, the worship from the Word – but relationships have been difficult to establish. We still don’t have bosom friends there – but we are starting to develop friendships. Sunday reminded me of that as I had one conversation after another with acquaintances who are becoming friends.
…for turkey dinners
We were just bringing Tirzah Mae home at Thanksgiving, and neither of our families do turkey for Christmas – which means Daniel and I haven’t had a turkey dinner yet this fall/winter. But turkey’s were on super-sale following both of those holidays and I picked up a couple for our freezer. I cooked one on Monday and we’ve been eating from it ever since. Yum, yum.
…for a wonderful, beautiful, very-good day
Did you read about my Tuesday? A blessing from on high, that day was.
…for breastfeeding during shots
Tirzah Mae had her 2 month shots yesterday – a total of 3 pokes. When I first mentioned breastfeeding during administration to the doctor, he was pretty uncertain – he thought there’d need to be two people there to hold her and didn’t think everyone would fit around my breast. But when the nurse came in and it was just her, I asked again. “Sure,” she said, “doesn’t make any difference to me.” But it did make a difference for Tirzah Mae and I to be able to cuddle and breastfeed to comfort her before, during, and after those shots.
This newborn season has been a long one, filled with ups and downs – and I am so thankful that God has brought us through this long, hard newborn period. And now, as we enter the season of infant proper, I am thankful for the normalcy He’s wrought – and acknowledge His goodness whether the normalcy continues or a new challenge throws us off-kilter.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
…
He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
~Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11