So I am a big fan of seasons. I love the seasons in nature and I love the seasons of the church. The church where I pastor very wisely observes the Liturgical Calendar. If you’re not familiar with what that is, it’s basically the observance throughout the year of various times and seasons that focus on different parts of the story of redemption. It’s truly beautiful.

The seasons we observe at our church are Easter, Epiphany, Ordinary Time and Advent. I really like observing the church calendar. It takes us through different focuses and experiences and provides space to focus on different part of the story. It’s truly beautiful and I think highly formative in the life of Christians all over the world. And don’t even get me started on the seasons of this planet. They are just too powerful and gorgeous for words. Yeah, I’m weird into nature like that.

So hopefully I didn’t just loose you there because actually want I want to talk about today is the Seasonal Rhythms of our Family. They are much loser but there are four clear distinct movements in the life of our little unit of five exisiting together in a suburb in the Dallas metroplex.

I think you’ll find your family most likely has a similar (although surely more disciplined) rhythm of life. Why do I know that? Because I think we are drawn to rhythms because our seasons and world dictate them. And our maker created us to live that way. And they are a really cool and fun way to live. So here we go:

Fall: Let’s call this “Buckle Down” Season. We head back to school, we organize the backpacks and the cupboards, we stock up on school supplies and paper towels in the spare closet. I start checking online sales for Christmas gifts and we are focused. Brilliantly, seriously focused. This is the time of year for new shoes and hair cuts and figuring out your budget. We are productive and we are awesome.

Danger in Fall: I decide that this is the year I will be SUPER MOM! I will not only work full time and be primary caregiver while Scott travels, I will volunteer at the school and I will figure out how to also volunteer at our local food bank. And maybe I’ll run a few marathons to boot. This is a time of inflated ego and crazy over-commitment. Those sign-up forms at schedule pick-up beckon me and I am sure this is the year I will NOT be known as “the slackard mom with the out of control boys” or, as we say in TX “bless her heart.”

Winter: Let’s call this one “MANIC CELEBRATION TIME” This is the time of big time feast days, crazy buying and a Pottery Barn Catalog a week guaranteed.

Danger in Winter: I am sure this is the year I will turn into Martha Stewart (or worse, Pioneer Woman!), we WILL have a Christmas Party, and I will buy perfect gifts for everyone on my list, stay within budget, and still have time to celebrate the reason for the season. I’ve actually gotten better at this one as of late because I’ve committed myself to less crazy and more reflection. I even wrote an article about that for our church magazine which I find is a perfect way to be held accountable. Running frantic through Kohl’s shouting something incomprehensible while singing the frantic Barbara Streisand version of Jingle Bells (do you know the one? JINGLE BELLS JINGLE BELLS J  I N G L E BELLS! pretty much over and over for like 4 minutes) is a sure fire sign I’ve gone over the edge. Thankfully, our congregation is filled with kind men and women who gently remind me of what I’ve written. They say, “bless her heart.”

Spring: Let’s call this “Re-decorating” Season. Here I find myself wanting to be outside constantly because the weather is amazing while simultaneously wanting to throw away all the furniture in my house (no really, donating it would be cruel) and starting over. Again with the Pottery Barn Catalog a week (I have go to get off their mailing list but I just can’t seem to bring myself to do it). There are whole Ikea adds dedicated to the manic, mother nesting we do during this time that leads to countless Target trips that cause my husband to shake his head and me to say “it was groceries! I swear!” And yes, he sees right through it. Nine new pillows for our couch and four outdoor flameless candle lanterns do not qualify as “groceries”.

And that brings us to where we are right now:

SUMMER! Which here at our house we call “Play Season”. I am not one to put my kids in camps every week or schedule every moment of their summer and I never have been. And yes, I know the smart move educationally would be for them to be in school year round because they get really stupid over the summer and their poor teachers have to spend the first month catching up but honestly? I love it. We can sleep later, we can go days without a shower (well, they can – I have to go to work) or better yet, swim. Because that chlorine will kill any germs you may have on you. The boys play WAY too many video games and watch way too much 30 Rock (which is wildly inappropriate by the way I know but it makes them funny), I spend WAY too much time on the internet (and evidently writing since I’ve been quite manic on the writing thing of late) and we just goof off. Seriously, blissfully, happily goof off. I try to make sure that every once in a while somebody does a math problem or, as happened today I swear, reads me an ad from one of my magazines so I know everyone is still literate. But mostly we just chill. It’s delightfully scandalous and I love every blessed moment. The kids have time to dig in the yard, experiment in the kitchen ( a twin is using my juicer as we speak) and we can put on a movie at 9pm every night and who cares? It’s pure joy. We have margin. I am happiest during this time.

Each of the Lefforge Seasons is special in it’s own way. We have times when we work really hard, we have times when we celebrate like crazy people, and we have lazy seasons where you truly don’t want to come over or you’ll have to judge me even if you don’t want to. But what a boring life it would be if every day were the same. Structured and predictable and sane. I have no doubt the boys would most likely get into better colleges and maybe we’d have more money in savings if we lived that way. And maybe I’m thwarting their potential by not making them take French or go to Algebra camp each year. But it’s our happiest season. And I wouldn’t change it for the world.

So let go of the guilt and enjoy this season. Pet your dog. Watch a movie. Read a book. Turn up “Black Betty” by Ram Jam as loud as it will go in your kitchen and dance like a crazy person (this actually happened this morning. Dang I love that song). Be happy, whatever the season. And remember to say thank you to God, who’s idea it was in the first place.

Jen