A Garden of Change

I was thinking about how the garden changes over the season ... and about what an interesting point in life I am right now. I have one child on the brink of truly ripening -- filling with sweet flavor and soon to be harvested to be used. I have another child just in the midst of growth -- with green leaves filling out and the flower in full bloom about to produce its first sign of fruit. And I have a tender sprig of a child -- just now emerging from the earth and reaching it's green shoot out to the warm, bright sun. As a homeschooling mom, I have the privilege to watch and nurture them all. But boy! This is quite a balance. Quite frankly, I have no idea what I'm doing half the time!! The needs of my oldest are ever changing. My little one (and only daughter) also has a whole new set of needs ("Let me help you do the cooking, Mommy!" or "Today I'm going to play that I'm a boy, okay Mommy?" or "We are the only womans here, huh Mommy?"). And of course, don't forget my precious middle child squished in between with needs of his own. Sometimes I feel like quite a gardener, able to manage all of these little gardens! More and more lately however, I throw up my hands and find myself on my knees seeking guidance, strength, and wisdom from my Master Gardener. I suspect that this is where He wants me to stay and likely where He wanted me to be all along.