Seasons

Ecclesiastes 3:1, "There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven."

The Sunday before Labor Day I wore one of my most blatantly summer outfits as my personal protest that summer was ending. One of the Sunday newspaper cartoons had a picture of a little boy riding the bus to school. There was a balloon above his head that revealed he was thinking about all the fun things he had done during the summer. There were pictures of him swimming, having a picnic, chasing butterflies, lying in the grass, and playing ball with his friends. I feel somewhat like that little boy must have felt. Summer is my favorite season of the year, and I am always sad to see it go. And yet if it were always summer we would miss the beautiful leaves in the fall, the excitement of football games, and the holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine's Day. We would miss seeing our breath on the chilly air, snowflakes, and the welcome warm weather and flowers of spring. Actually I am glad I live where the seasons change so much.

As much as we sometimes dislike change, we also embrace it for the variety and excitement it brings to life. So I am embracing the season of fall, if somewhat reluctantly. I'm enjoying football season, already beginning to shop for Christmas, and am thinking about what I will serve for Thanksgiving dinner.

Every season of life has its different aspects, but each one is important and each one brings with it much for us to do and enjoy.

That thought reminds me of I Timothy 6:6a, "But godliness with contentment is great gain." Like Paul, I am learning to be content, and grateful, in every season of life.

Father, thank You for the seasons of the year that remind us of the seasons of our lives. Thank You for the renewal and excitement and enthusiasm that come with the changes. May we be godly, contented, and appreciative whatever our season of life may be. Amen.