Give thanks for whatever season you are in
"To every thing there is a season, and a time and purpose under heaven."
- Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)
The arrival of baseball season each year brings me back to memories when baseball was a special season in my life.
Each Monday through Friday at 4 p.m., the daily routine of getting all three of my sons ready for either a baseball game or practice session began. Before leaving the house, I went through the routine of checking to make sure everyone had a clean uniform and all their baseball garb available - socks, hat and mitt. Then I watched as each enthusiastic player jumped into the car, as I strategically planned which one to drop off first.
Once everyone was busy playing ball at the complex, I made my rounds between fields A, B and oftentimes C, to catch a glimpse of each son's game. I got plenty of exercise as I ran to and fro to catch an inning or two, and see the score.
For each home run made the players received a free hot dog. Occasionally I was blessed to see my son, whose nickname was "Hot Dog" make a home run. Many nights brought hot dogs for us after the game, compliments of my son.
Rain, shine or blazing heat, baseball season went on. After awhile, it started to feel like a dreadful hectic season in my life, and yet, I was saddened when it was over.
The writer of the biblical book Ecclesiastes expresses that there is a right time or season for everything in our lives. God wants us to recognize and make the most of where he would have us be for that particular place and time.
However, many times we want to do things out of those seasons, by either moving ahead to the next thing or hanging on to the last. We need to learn to enjoy the season we're in with a spirit of gratitude even when it is hectic and hard to endure.
We will never have that time back again. I look back with fond memories on that baseball season of my life - I still enjoy watching a game from time to time.
As we change out attitudes and learn to enjoy the season where we are on the way to where we are going, it opens us to the abundant joy that God intended for us.
• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She can be contacted at AnnetteeBudzban@aol.com