Of puppies, productivity, and [im]perfection
I had plans for the summer at home with our school-age kids. There would be time set aside for reading, time for teaching some life skills and family responsibilities, and time for some summer fun.
Then, mid-July, we got a puppy. Yes, this was also part of our summer plan, but the reality of having a puppy turned out to be quite different from the idea of having a puppy, even with as many YouTube videos as I watched! There went my well-intentioned plans for summer. Suddenly, I found myself hearkening back to the days of having newborns and googling questions about sleep, feeding, and “is ______ normal?”
Once again, I’m tiptoeing around the house during a nap and feeling anxiety over someone ringing the doorbell. Once again, I’m paring back my daily to-do list to a single item beyond “caring for my people [and dog].” Some days, that means doing some laundry. Other days, it means making something other than hot dogs for supper. And, once again, not a single day (or moment!) goes by that I don’t remind myself, “This is a season.”
This is also an every-episode reminder of one of my favourite podcasts: “On this show, we value contentment, compassion and living in our season” (The Lazy Genius Podcast). (While it isn’t a faith-centred podcast, Kendra Adachi, “The Lazy Genius,” is a person of Christian faith and is clearly guided by Christ-like values in what she teaches.)
I think the Preacher would concur with Adachi, although he puts it this way: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). In his article on Ecclesiastes, Scott Marble reminds us that we can look for God’s gifts in every season of life, even in times of chaos.
This issue also contains encouragement to use what we have to serve God and others (p. 4), and to find contentment outside of possessions (p. 10).
In all these areas, productivity or “having it all” aren’t the goals; the Preacher would likely call this “chasing after the wind.” In a season when I’m getting less done than I would like to, I’m also finding solace in Erica Fehr’s reflection on intrinsic value in last summer’s issue of the magazine (“What do we mean when we ask about our value?” The Messenger, July/Aug 2025).
We’re about to embark on a new season as back-to-school approaches. I’m making some plans, while trying to hold those plans loosely. What’s non-negotiable? Contentment, compassion, and living in my season, through the strength of Christ in me.
Audio is generated with AI voice technology
Photo credit: Joe Caione on Unsplash
