Beauty in its Time

June is the month where good things happen for teachers. Some might say these are the best things. Well, one thing, actually. June is the month when summer begins. Sweet, sweet summer and all its gloriousness. Sleeping in late, going to the beach, no papers to grade, no kids to manage- a time to truly rest and get refreshed for the year to come.

It's the best. And we're just as excited as the kids are for the break. I love my job (a lot!), but summer is welcomed with open arms around here!

This post is not very ministry or wife related. I've just finally gotten a few minutes to sit down and actually write for a moment amidst the grading of papers and completion of end-of-year tasks. We have just 2.5 days left. I think I can. I think I can.

My eighth graders had their last day yesterday, and our gym teacher read this passage from Ecclesiastes in a goodbye message to them. I found it quite fitting for my life right now:

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 

A time to be born and a time to die. 

A time to plant and a time to harvest. 

A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to tear down and a time to build up. 

A time to cry and a time to laugh. 

A time to grieve and a time to dance. 

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. 

A time to embrace and a time to turn away. 

A time to search and a time to quit searching. 

A time to keep and a time to throw away. 

A time to tear and a time to mend. 

A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 

A time to love and a time to hate. 

A time for war and a time for peace. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NLT

I love the time I'm entering into. A time to rest and a time to renew. A time to rejuvenate and a time to refresh. A time for alliteration (see what I did there?). Its a good season to be entering into, especially after the tough spring I've had. The passage goes on to say that God makes everything beautiful in its time. Seasons come and seasons go, and whether you're in a time of joy (which is obviously beautiful!) or a time of sorrow- He has brought you to it. He'll make it beautiful. Even in the darkest times, beauty is there. His beauty. When I look back at some of the saddest, hardest times in my life, I can see God's beauty all over them. I can see the beauty in the times that I was on my face at 3 in the morning crying out to Him. I can see the beauty in the times when I would rush home just so I could spend time with Him and find my peace for that day...even if it was just for a moment. And you know what? Eventually He brought me through those times. Now, I cherish those moments. I cherish my most broken times, because I know there's beauty in them. Everything is beautiful. Everything. Just look for it.

Summer is beautiful! Now if only we'd get some consistent sun...

xo,
Angie