Hello reader,
It’s officially summer in the Carrizal household. Wesley had his last day of school last Wednesday, and I’ve had this week off to celebrate the school I work for finishing their school year. While I’m eager for all that summer will bring, I’m also grieving the loss of our routine with Wesley being out of school. We’ve had to schedule babysitters and figure out a less-than regular work routine for me just to have Wesley taken care of while I’m still working this summer. It’s all been quite the headache, but it feels good to have a plan in place.
With changing seasons, it can be all too easy to lose our rhythm. Believe me, it has been quite the transition and step away from normalcy with our recent move, and now it’s starting all over again with Wesley finishing his first year of preschool. Sometimes the change can be good, as it welcomes the opportunity for new practices that will be life-giving for us. But it also can be a challenge, as we have to find new ways to accomplish our goals, connect with God, and still be a somewhat positively functioning human being.
If you find yourself in this transitional place right now or you know that you’ll be there very soon with the changing season, here are some things that I’m doing and holding onto in this new summer season:
I’m trusting that God will meet our family’s needs, whether that is financially, schedule-wise, or with childcare.
I’m asking for help when I need it and even when I don’t think I need it.
I’m looking for opportunities to connect with others and with God.
I’m revamping my quiet time routine so that it fits into any open space within the day, and I’m reminding myself that it doesn’t actually have to be “quiet”.
I’m staying open-handed toward what God has for me in this season and facing it with an attitude of surrender.
As we walk between the pines of this new summer season, may we experience God more fully. May we connect deeper with those around us and cherish the time we have with our families. May we allow ourselves to slow down and relish in the sun’s warm rays upon our faces. May we give ourselves permission to be childlike, catching fireflies, collecting wildflowers, and splashing in the pool. God longs to meet you there.
Words & Resources for Your Journey
An Essay: Problematic People by Jenai Auman
A Poem: Wild, Not Wasteful by Ishah Broad
My Publication in Calla Press: Being Renewed by Motherhood by Lauren Carrizal
My Guest Blog Post: Community that Feels like Home by Lauren Carrizal
On The Blog
Walking in the Wilderness is my blog where I write about seasonal and present moment living, as well as looking for God’s goodness and provision in every season. I post every other Friday.
Learning to Embrace Transitional Seasons about learning to embrace the in-between and what I’ve been doing to live well in my current transition.
Putting on the Armor of God in Difficult Seasons, a deep dive into Paul’s admonition to put on the armor of God to stand firm against the attacks of the enemy, especially as it pertains to us in difficult seasons where we are particularly vulnerable in our faith.
This Month’s Writing Update
Well friends, I did the thing I was terrified to do: I began querying literary agents this month. I’ve already received two rejections, but they were actually pretty encouraging. Both were on the basis of my platform being too small, but one gave me great feedback on my book idea saying that she thought it had great potential. One of the (many) things I was worried about is that my idea wasn’t strong enough, but even in the rejection I received I was encouraged about my book. I’m surprisingly not anxious about this process because I know it will take time, and I know that God will guide me in finding the right avenue for publishing my book.
My internal writing crisis from last month hasn’t entirely gone away, and I have certainly still felt the insecurity and personal scrutiny about my writing. However, I’m finding myself spending more time in Scripture these days, and it’s been giving me motivation and ideas to write about that will encourage others. Since going back to work, it’s been a challenge to find time and motivation for my personal writing, but I’m working on getting back to the reason I began writing in the first place.
A Question Worth Pondering
Use this question for spiritual reflection and respond in the comments.
What are some things you can do to fully embrace this new summer season? (check out my ideas above for inspiration!)
Thank you for reading Between the Pines. I hope you found some encouragement in these words to keep you going. May God meet you on your journey between the pines.
Talk to you soon, friend.
Lauren Carrizal