A Season

I’ve wondered about certain folks having been in my life before and why. I don’t doubt why my Pop is part of my life. When he and Mom married I was about 10 and the blessing of having a bonus Dad really made my life better. I was able to learn from both of them. For a while Dad remarried and I had a bonus Mom, I have loads of great memories of vacations we took, fishing and horseback riding. I understand things change and people change so divorce happens. You can’t always cut the connection. This lady has two children who I call my brother and my sister, I feel no differently about them than those who I share parents with. I am grateful that she had them, I’m grateful for them being my siblings. I would not change that for anything.

She was only my bonus Mom for a season but for the rest of her life she was still someone important in my life. Not just because she is their Mom but because of who she is and how I am. I saw her on occasion – more-so when she lived closer in town. She and her husband have a great place outside of town, they built a lovely back porch on it and remodeled the inside. My niece got married there and it was such a lovely place for the ceremony.

When she got sick I knew this was going to be really tough on my sister because they are super close, like me and Mom close. I prayed really hard for her to fight the cancer. God had other plans. I don’t remember much of what the officiant said at her service but I remember thinking how proud I was to be there, how proud I was that all six of us were there to celebrate her life. My Dad even came to pay his respects, I was proud of that.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 A Time for Everything 3 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

When there are people in your life – remembering that some are there for just a season can help you celebrate them while they are in your life. You can celebrate them when they are not too but for sure celebrate them while they are in your life. God certainly has them there for a reason, even if you don’t know what it is.

My Bonus Mom would have been 80 today. I celebrate her life and legacy. I celebrate that she had a reason and a season in my life and I’m glad for it. I celebrate my siblings, their children – my nieces and nephews and now their children who would have been her great-grandchildren and I know that I know she would have been over the moon about these little boys. I can hear her saying it now – look at how precious they are. She is right – they ARE.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gift of bonus parents. Thank You for the time I had with my bonus Mom. I am grateful for the time we did get. Please be with my siblings today and their children as they no doubt will have her on their minds and hearts with it being her birthday. Give them joy and peace at knowing she is there with You and that she is always watching them and loving them. In Jesus Name I pray - AMEN