Bethany Hope-Our Angel Above: The Passing Years

There was a season of my life where I honestly felt I was either pregnant, nursing or chasing a toddler at any given moment. The nights were short and the days were long. I lived in a constant state of exhaustion and many times thought my strong willed daughter was trying to turn me gray by the time she was 3. As crazy as life seemed at the time, I loved it. In fact, I felt as though THAT was the mom I knew how to be. I could change diapers, and play dress up or make believe for hours. Even when I felt defeated, sleep deprived and overwhelmed, I knew how to be THAT mom. I wanted them to be little forever.

I fast forward to the life I have somehow morphed into today and I often question the mom I have become. When did I go from having it all figured out to simply running on fumes.

I have entered into a new level of exhausted and business. One I honestly didn’t know existed. I am a full time working mom whose kids are going from event to event then church, dinner, laundry, etc. and honestly; I feel like I forget what day it is.

This summer we literally had something going on every single week. My husband and I were talking about how busy this summer had been and all we had done. I began to think about how busy my life was now that my kiddos were older compared to when they were little. I found myself missing the moments of just being at home with them when they were little. I then began to think about what had made us so busy. Church camp, church missions, Church VBS, Youth events, and youth bible studies. God began to tug at my heart as I realized that there was no other type of busy I would want to be. My children are growing each and every day and I CAN’T get these moments back. Moments to serve God and worship Jesus Christ with my children.

There is NEVER a day that doesn’t go by where my heart doesn’t stop and remember that as crazy is life is, it really should be just a tad bit crazier with two more feet running around. God has given me the gift of knowing how precious and how short life really is. Tomorrow may never come, today is a gift…. USE it for Him! This is the BUSY kind of life I want right now. I want to be knee high in the middle of life with my kids. I want to look back on these moments and know that I GET to serve God with my children. I open my home to teenagers so that I can be a part of what God is doing in the life of my children. It will never be my home, but yet HIS home to use and bring people through to glorify His kingdom.

The days are long, but oh the years are short. I no longer look over my shoulder to make sure my kiddos are following close by. I now pray that as they independently run ahead or fall behind, God is becoming their hand to hold instead of mine.

I will never grow weary of hearing young people praising God! Knowing that at the end of the day all 3 of my children are in the mix of an amazing youth group learning that no insecurity, no failure and no fear can ever be greater than the love of God. I stand in awe that this is the life I get to have. These are the children I get to serve God with. One day I will look back and miss it all. The toddler years and YES, even the teenage years. I will miss the moments I got to be such a huge part of their life. The sleepless nights, the teenage hormones, the tears and mistakes are inevitable; I promise! I also promise that you will never look back and regret missing sleep to be involved. I am learning with every passing stage, that motherhood is never something I will get perfect or feel like I know how to do just right. I am growing with my children. Learning, crying, praying and growing. At the end of the day, my greatest treasure will be that our memories, mine and theirs, are intertwined forever!

Our Summer