Life is now.

Listen y’all…

Too often we spend too much time anticipating the future that we miss out on the beauty that is right now. As I searched through rows of quaint shops in a small, charming German village for the perfect sign for my new home’s entry table I stumbled across a vintage-style sign that simply read, “Life is now.” It was everything I was looking for. I was so proud of my find that I rushed home and carefully placed it on the easel that had sat empty for weeks. Then, in true male fashion, my husband burst my bubble with one question: “What does that even mean?”

Let me back up before I give you the answer.

I’m a planner, and though he doesn’t fully realize it, my husband is too. As active duty Air Force, our life isn’t always suitable to planning, but in 2016 we had a great life going. We were stationed close to home and surrounded by family. We found a family in our church home like nothing we’d ever known before. I had a career I loved. We bought our first home. We started our family. One boy, one girl. Our family was complete and our world was turning out perfectly as planned.

Wherever you are, whatever season, whatever place…life is now. Don’t waste today waiting for tomorrow.

Then, in July 2017, a surprise came in the form of two pink lines, which meant the family we planned was expanding. We felt blessed, of course, but thrown off track at the same time. Then, as we prepared to wrap our minds around this new future, in October 2016 we received orders overseas. An adventure no doubt, but an adventure that would tear us from the family and friends that we loved so dearly and the world that was easy to plan.

As we made our way across the sea with our new beautiful and perfect addition to our family, another boy, I found myself constantly thinking about how I couldn’t wait to get back “home”. It was a strange feeling because after 13 years in the military I had come to know that “home” is where the Air Force sends you. I kept thinking about the travels we could have when the kids were older. I found myself just holding out for the days when the newborn in my arms was no longer nursing, or the little princess was no longer napping, or all three kids were in school. I was looking forward to final orders and a forever home. I longed for Sundays when we’d be able to worship with our church family again. I held my breath for the days and weeks our kids could enjoy with grandparents and cousins. I grumbled at the reality that my career would have to start from ground zero once again.

And then, in the back room of a quaint shop in a small village in Germany I received a sign, literally and figuratively. Life is now, and if I wasn’t careful, I was going to miss it.
How lucky are we to be able to give our children the opportunity to experience life overseas? What a blessing it is to be able to rely on God to uncover the plan he has for us to serve Him in our new surroundings. What a treasure our young children are, at their wonder of the world and how desperately we’ll miss them when these fleeting moments are gone. There are so many adventures we can go on now.

So, listen y’all. Don’t wait for your children to grow. Don’t wait for your forever home. Don’t wait for the comforts of the life you once knew to return. Don’t wait for life to get easy or for your job to get more stable or for your bank account to grow. Don’t wait for whatever it is that you think is better in the future. Life should never be put on hold.

Wherever you are, whatever season, whatever place…life is now. Live it. Love it. Be grateful for it.  And hang on, because if you allow it to be, this life can be a grand adventure right now.