Falling Behind

Well friends, another week has come and gone in interior Alaska.
---and apparently it took about half of our fall season with it.

This week's forecast has both rain in it and a 30 degree low. Now it's been a while since I've been in school, so I may be a bit rusty--- but I'm pretty sure that 30 degrees makes water no longer be "rain."

I've hardly had a chance to break out my fall scarves and it's almost time for coats. My summer wreath is still on the front door. I haven't bought pumpkin-flavored anything.
I sent my poor son to school in a short sleeve shirt!!!

In the span of seven short days, I've watched the leaves in my backyard take on a slight yellow hue, then turn to bright gold, and now they've started dropping with every slight movement of the breeze. I'm starting to feel like the Beast watching his magical rose petals fall one by one under the glass.
I'm running out of time.

I waited all summer to get moving again in the fall. Now fall is ending before I could even start anything.
It's only the first week of fall and I'm already falling further behind.
See what I did there? Fall...Falling...? (These are the jokes, guys.)


I know that I'm probably freaking out about this more than is required---and I partially blame this on being a misplaced Texan who is used to Septembers being "Summertime, the Sequel."
But I also think it has me spinning, because lately I've been feeling behind in more ways than one.

The magic of social media has kept me connected with so many of my friends from all around the country, and some in Europe. We may be the first ones to jump into the fall season, but do you know where Alaska is in the time zone map? Dead last.
In the mornings I'll start my day with a Bible study and a cup of coffee. I get children ready and shoo everyone off to school in thirty-degree weather wearing short sleeve t-shirts. Then I clean up the kiddo's breakfast dishes, serve myself some scraps from the table, and I take a short break while I'm eating to check in and see how everyone's doing.
And guess what you've already done? EVERYTHING! You're crushing it, friends!!!

Here I am in my pajamas, still eating the leftover bits of my kids' cereal and counting it as breakfast, looking at images of your healthy lunch. Or your stats from your awesome workout. Or your images from chaperoning your kid's field trip. Or the cute outfit you picked out for date night with your husband.
(Or your sweet fall decor, because you are just so on top of things!)


And while my brain rationally knows that I shouldn't have been able to do all of those things already, I start every day feeling tremendously behind.

I know! I'm completely crazy!

There is something about looking at everyone else's life that makes you think you are supposed to be keeping the pace somehow. But that's just not true.

We are all given work, but we're not all given the same job. We are all given gifts, but with different amounts of resources. We might have similar assignments, but we are not in similar environments.
And we are all given 24 hours, but we are certainly not all given the same timing.

We are each responsible for working well in the season that we've been given--- and this looks different ALL THE TIME.
Sometimes your work looks like studying. Sometimes it looks like spending your day in an office and earning a paycheck.
Sometimes it looks like waking up at night and nursing a baby. Sometimes it looks like rocking a sick child at home when people were counting on you to be somewhere else. Sometimes it looks like skipping an after-school activity to help mend a broken heart.
Sometimes it looks like doing some laundry and mopping the floors. Sometimes it looks like updating the weekly family calendar... and driving everyone to all the places... and volunteering to bring too many cupcakes to school.
Sometimes it looks like putting on some lipstick, and cooking a favorite meal, and chatting in the living room with your spouse.

None of these jobs is more important than the others.
You do not have to be doing them at the same time as other people.
*Or on as grand of a scale.
*Or in the same order.
*Or even for as long. (Or as quickly...)


You just have to do them purposefully and gratefully when it's your time.

So here's to being more intentional with our own seasons and less crazy trying to keep up!
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go change a wreath real quick ;)

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)