Groceries, Seasons and Me. . .or I'm always learning at Aldi

I was frantically running errands on Monday, and landed myself at Aldi.

We were running low on food and it was just no longer an option to put it off.

Although, in my heart I totally wanted to. . .but my families insistence on eating prevented that for

even one more day.

So there I was, list in hand, ready to rock Aldi. After all, I'm no newbie!  I know I need a quarter,

I recognize  all the labels, I know where the sacks are and that I'll be paying for them-and filling them

up.  Yep, I've got this down pat.

The very story I ever wrote as adult was about an adventure in this very store, in the very location I

was at on Monday.  You can read that here.

I've shared that story quite a bit  as I've had more speaking opportunities, and it came to mind

Monday as I was tossing things in my cart and crossing them off my list.  The store was filled with

moms and preschoolers or should I say; frantic, tired, stressed moms and noisy, busy preschoolers.

I tried to hide my smile as I heard them and their dear momma's trying to herd them to the next aisle.

Oh, OH! How I've been there.  I remember those days well.  Cajoling, bribing, threatening. . . even

yes, even giving in and caving to whatever was being begged for. . .yep

I've done it all.


Listen, I'm no parenting expert and would never claim to be.  Heck, we're right in the deep water over

here. How can you be an expert when you haven't seen the finished product yet?

But, I am a momma who's seen a few things and been doing this mom life for more than a few years.

So, hear this my Dear Sweet Momma's out there, the days do get easier.

There will absolutely be a time in your life you can go to the store and no one begs you to buy them

anything.  You'll go ALONE (can you even imagine) and you won't worry about germ filled carts,

or keeping littles entertained while you pile two weeks worth of groceries in your cart.

You won't be squeezing an avocado in one hand while holding a squirmy toddler with the other.

No will run down the aisle, colliding with a grandma, while you stand there mortified with the toilet

paper in your hand.

These crazy stress filled moments will pass.

Now, don't get me wrong. They will be filled with other crazy stress filled moments.

Moments involving homework, friends, what's appropriate to wear and what's not, eye rolling and

Don't you talk to me like that Mister! moments.

So, what did I learn in aisle 12 this week??

Don't wish away the baby/toddler/preschool years.  Cherish them. Even the hard ones.

Those precious babies grow up so stinkin' fast it'll make your head spin.

Soon you'll be sitting at the dinner table talking about how to pay for college and dating and  "Can I

have the car Friday night."

Here's the other thing I learned. I can't wish away these teenage/middle school/I'm almost double

digits mom years either.  I can't keep wishing to turn the clock back (or if I'm really honest, speed it

forward. . .teenagers are no joke you guys !)

Spring is springing here in Kansas.  A season, a promise.  Some days are so beautiful you wish you

could bask in them forever. Some days are dark and gloomy. Some are downright volatile.

But, each and every one of them pass. Nothing stays the same.  Summer will soon be here.

Your season, and mine. It'll change.  Let's learn to enjoy the one we're in right now, instead of

wishing it away.

Oh Aldi, how you mess with my head when I'm just trying to buy some groceries.

Thank you, Lord for always being willing to teach me where I'm at. . .even the aisle of the grocery

store.

Thank You, for never changing in a world and circumstances that always

do.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJ) To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

Help us Lord to embrace the season we're in.

You are loved,

26 Days

Oh My Stars, I just saw when I last blogged.

That is so sad and a sign of a busy life.

As you can imagine, some things have happened along the way between February 15 and April 18th.


We had a lovely anniversary weekend.

Our Sweet Girl broke her foot during PE.

I've had a couple of speaking opportunities.

Our middle just turned 13 (Another teenager in the house. . .somebody hold me)

Our oldest is on the job hunt.

My Uncle passed away.

And a dream of my Dear Hubby came true when he bought a Harley.

Sister had her piano recital.

Life has happened.

That's a  lot of life in a short two months for one little family.

And I bet, if you and I were sitting down to chat you could give me a list just as long as mine.

Some good, some not so good and some just stinkin hard.

Life.

With all this life going on around us and after months of praying, we realized a change in the coming school year was needed for our family.

After 12 years we would not be enrolling in the Christian school my children have attended since preschool and I would not be returning to the job I've had there for the past 5 years.

There are several reasons why it seemed God was leading us in this direction and none of them easy.

It has been a difficult year for our middle child and we have seen him hurt and struggling.

My husband wanted to move him in October then again at Christmas break, but I kept hesitating

thinking it would be best or at least 'fine' to finish out the school year. After all, transitioning

to a new school is challenging and during the school year even more so. That is what I was

saying to justify my hesitation. Which really was just fear, wrapped in a disguise.

Last Wednesday our middle came frantically looking for me after school to tell about a bullying

situation he had just found himself in. He was upset and disheveled.

As we talked through things and notified the school, my husband said let's pull him now.

My reply was "It's only 26 more days".

The next day things got worse and spiraled to a place I had never dreamed.

By Friday morning our two youngest children were enrolled in their new school.

Frankly, we spent much of the weekend walking around wounded and in shock.

But, as the shock began to wear off  and I kept thinking about "It's only 26 more days", it was

as if I could hear the Lord whispering into my heart, "but it was 26 days to long. I asked you to obey

a long time ago."  And He had.  Chance after chance I had to listen to my husbands wise counsel and

that of other trusted friends who knew what we'd been dealing with, but I let fear of the unknown stop

me.

Sometimes 26 days is just to long and God says "IT IS TIME TO GO RIGHT NOW!".

Surely, I can't be the only holding on to something God is telling them to let go of, or to move

on from.  Not necessarily even bad things, but it's just not His plan for you right now.

Fear is such a liar.  It holds us back... It holds me back.  Just when I think I've got it beat, it

rears its ugly, stupid, lying head once again.  Oh I was ready to obey, to follow. . .when it

was convient for me. . .when I thought the timing was right. . .which isn't obedience at all, just

fear wrapped up in control.

Some wounds have been inflicted on us by others, either their actions or their gossiping tongues . . .

but some wounds we let be inflicted by staying to long in a place after God said move.

The littles had a great first day.  I  know they all won't be great, but today was and I am so thankful

for that!

When God says move.  It's best to move.

26 days.

I can't wait to see what God does with 26 days.