I live here in Michigan and the seasons are beginning to change. I can look outside and start to see the beginning stages of the leaves falling. There is a bit more of a chill in the air. The seasons are about to change.
A New Season
This got me to thinking about how marriages can go through different seasons. There were some different seasons that my wife and I went through. The first being living as one instead of two separate individuals. Another season was moving from our small one bedroom apartment which was so small that we couldn’t both be in the kitchen at the same time to our spacious four bedroom home. The birth of each of our children marked new seasons. There are so many different seasons that we go through individually and as couples.
So how do we prepare for a change in seasons? Here are a couple of ways that we can prepare.
[ctt template=”3″ link=”eqbc9″ via=”no” ]Embrace the new season[/ctt] 1. Watch for the signs.
With the birth of our first child, my wife and I paid attention to the signs that showed us we were about to go into a change of seasons. It would be unwise and unhealthy for us to have continued living our lives as if she wasn’t pregnant. Increase in appetite, lack of sleep, unique food cravings and most of all ranges in emotions. All of these were signs of changes that we had never encountered before. Children require a lot of prep beforehand and it’s a new season for each family. The child’s room needs to be organized and decorated, Diapers and clothes purchased, and the list of preparation seems endless
We have to pay attention to the signs.
2. Make a plan.
When we do that we can then prepare for the new season. One of the most damaging things we can self inflict on our relationships is that when a new season is coming, we do not prepare for it and then we scramble trying to catch up.
When my first child was born, my son LJ, my wife and I had to begin to schedule when we could get out of the house for a date. We had to schedule our time together. He was born on a Monday and with the help of planning and an awesome mother in law we went on a date that Saturday! Without the plan, it could have left the door open to hurt, and caused a rift in our intimacy. When we know a new season is coming, let’s plan as best as we can.
3. Enjoy the moment.
Right now where I live it’s end of summer and fall has arrived. Often times we can be in a rush to get to the next thing in life and we don’t always enjoy the current moment. It is a work of art and balance to see the beginning of a new season and prepare for it while enjoying the ending of the season we’re in. It may be hard but it can be done.
What new seasons are you preparing for? How do you enjoy the moment without losing the moment? Before the year comes to an end, what dates would like to still do?
