Hold On

What an amazing week-end. Fall is finally arriving I believe, and I am grateful for the cooler temperatures. I love having to now wear more than a t-shirt to ride. Spring and Fall are my favorite times of year. Spring is when most think of “new life” beginning. Trees start to bud and flowers begin to bloom making everything look more alive. Fall is when leaves turn colors and then fall off the trees leaving them bare and when flowers begin to die back. It is also about new life though in my opinion. Kids go back to school and classrooms become alive again. We enter into the season of Thanksgiving and Christmas. What better time for new growth.

The changing seasons are like our lives, we also have different seasons we go through. No matter what we are going through, if we just hold on, things will change. Weather, finances, our health, our thought process, and virtually every aspect of our lives. We can choose to embrace it or we can fight it.

Yesterday and today and have been great days for riding. Today was a little windy at times, which required me to hold on tight to the handlebars to stay where I wanted to be in my lane, but the wind did not win. Life is also like that; sometimes when things are “blowing us around” all we can do is hold on. As most of you know if you’ve been following my ramblings, the past year has been full of challenges and “gusts of wind” trying to change our direction or at least question it. My father-in-law’s cancer diagnosis was not a season we anticipated, but it did not blow us away. We held on through it all, knowing that God was in control. Nobody showed this more than my mother and father in law. They stood by each other and were there for each other every step of the way as they promised when they said their vows 57 years ago. They showed amazing faith and love throughout this time and still do.  Yesterday, my hubby and I got to spend the day with them celebrating their wedding anniversary in a way none of us could have imagined just a few months ago, for so many reasons. But we held on and it was an amazing day. I believe the smiles in the picture say it all, my hubby had us all in stitches by the time I took this picture.

Not all seasons end the same way, but if we hold on, all will be OK. While riding today, the sights and smells along the ride and the thoughts running through my mind reminded me of this. I went through a similar season several years ago with my daddy. His health battle was different and lasted for years, but through it all we also held on. We held on to our faith and to each other. Through all of his health issues, my mom and dad showed the same love, faith and commitment as my in laws. They held on to their faith, to each other, and to their vows; for richer for poorer, for better for worse, in sickness and in health.  I remember one time when my dad was going to have to have a surgery that we had put off due to health concerns. The time came when it had to be done, regardless of his other health issues, and it had to be done quickly. My personal situation was different then and I had to get my boys situated and be sure they were taken care of before I could head to the hospital. I knew my daddy’s preacher was going to be at the hospital before I could get there and I asked him to speak to my daddy for me if I didn’t get there early enough; to be sure he was good with The Lord. I was pretty sure he was, but I had to know for sure. As it turns out, my daddy was already in surgery when I arrived, but thanks to Preacher Mike, I knew as soon as I arrived, that daddy was going to be OK , regardless of the surgery outcome. We all held on, and all went well.

Years passed and later I had to make decisions no child ever expects to have to make. It was definitely easier though knowing that daddy was going to be OK for eternity. Seasons change, decisions have to be made, and life can get crazy. My daddy is with Jesus, my mom is about to turn 80, although in my mind she has stayed stuck at 36 years old (not sure why, but that’s the age I always keep her at), and my other “mom and dad” just celebrated 57 years together! All any of us can do is hold on. Hold onto our faith, our close friends and family, and of course hold onto those handlebars! I personally plan to hold on to my faith and my hubby and just know that whatever life’s seasons throw my way, I can hold on to the Word of God and know that He has it covered. For now, I’m off now to hold on to those handlebars again, with His constant protection and guidance.

Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

There is also a song by Tammy Trent called I will Hold On and part of the lyrics are:

Even when I fall
You help me stand
Even when I’m lost You take my hand
I will hold on
I will hold on
I will hold on
I can trust in You
My life is in Your hands
You hold the key to who I am
And I’ll trust in You