Seasons Change, But....

In just a few days, according to the calendar, we'll experience a change of seasons and move into fall.  However, as I look around on my mountaintop, I think the change of season has already occurred!  There are acorns and hickory nuts all over my carport and driveway.  Leaves are beginning to change colors.  Some trees have already dropped some of their leaves.  And the air has a definite crispness to it that is not at all summer-like!

When we lived in Florida I really missed this change of seasons.  Things change there from season to season, but the changes are much more subtle than they are here in the mountains.  One of my favorite things about living here has always been watching the seasons change. The stark black and white and gray (sometimes too much white!!) of winter gives way to the unpredictability of spring.....warm weather and flowers one day, then snow and blustery wind the next.  Summer follows with all kinds of flowers, all the shades of green that the variety of foliage here produces.  Warm, sometimes even hot, weather.  Bright sunshine.  And then autumn comes round again.  Different colors.  Crisp air.  And so the cycle continues.

Life goes on.  Here in my part of the world, animals are busy gathering nuts for winter.  Farmers are harvesting their hay.  Wood is being cut and split to provide heat during the cold winter months.  All this happens just as it does at this time every year.

But there are a lot of changes in our world as well.  We're in an election "season".  There is chaos in the Middle East.  Newscasters are talking about Arab Spring giving way to Arab Winter.  So, while much in our world remains the same and goes on as it has for years, much in our world is changing.

In spite of that, the unchanging truth is this:  "I, the LORD, do not change." (Malachi 3:8)

Seasons come and seasons go.  "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven."  (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Even as we experience change of seasons, and even as we experience change and chaos in our world,  this truth remains.  Seasons change, but God does not.


"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."  (Hebrews 13:8 NASB)

Lessons from a Bear

On Tuesday afternoon when I was cutting Al's hair, my peripheral vision caught movement out the window.  When I turned to look, I saw something black go past the window across the carport.  My first thoughts were something like "why is a black garbage bag blowing across the carport; where did it come from; the wind isn't even blowing." 

Since Al's car was blocking further view of this black object, I had no real idea what I had seen until the "object" turned around and I saw a brown nose coming from behind the car.  The brown nose was attached to a black bear!  It was not a very big bear, but it was a bear nonetheless.

Al wanted to get a picture.  But because we were still in the process of moving back home and not everything had yet been returned to its right place, finding the camera was much more of a challenge than it should have been.  I watched the bear's progress up the driveway while Al searched for the camera.  By the time he found it, the photo opportunity was lost.  As he opened the back door, the sound of the door frightened the bear, who then ran back into the woods.

Having wildlife around is not particularly unusual.  We did, after all, build a house right in the middle of their environment.  Raccoons and chipmunks are regular visitors to our front porch.  Wild turkey and deer often roam through the yard.  We often hear coyotes and cougars howling in the woods.  And this is not the first bear who has come calling.

The bear's visit was, however, a good reminder.  A reminder that I do live in the woods and that I need to be careful.  That I don't need to take the dog out after dark.  That I need to pay attention.  That I need always to be alert to my surroundings.

That's good advice for any of us.  And not only as concerns our physical surroundings.  We need to be on the alert spiritually as well.  We find this admonition over and over in Scripture.  I read it twice this morning in Acts chapter 20......."Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock..." (verse 28);"Therefore be on the alert"....(verse 31). 

And what about this verse:  "Be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."  (1 Peter 5:8 NASB).

Kind of reminds me of that bear.  Prowling around.  When we aren't looking for him and don't expect him, there he is.  That's why we need to be alert.  We need to be on guard.  We need to pay attention.

Because he is our adversary.  He has an agenda.  "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy."  (John 10:10a)

But here's the good news from the rest of that verse.  John 10:10b says, "I (Jesus) came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

Something to think about.

Through

Perhaps one of the most familiar passages in all of Scripture is The Twenty-Third Psalm.  We learn it as children.  We hear it read at funerals.  Even people who don't regularly attend church or who don't spend a lot of time in the Bible have heard of this Psalm.

Today I have that Psalm playing over and over in my head.  Well, actually one verse of that Psalm.  Verse 4 says "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me."  Over the last few months, I have come back to that verse time and again. 

As I have been thinking about that verse recently, a few words have stood out to me.  Even though.  Through.  With.

"Even though" is an expression of certainty.  This tells me not to be surprised when tough times come.  It tells me they will come.  But in spite of the tough times.......no matter what happens.....even though.......there is no reason to fear.  The certainty is that tough times will come.  The certainty is also that I don't face them alone.

"With me".  I'm not alone.  No matter what happens.  "Thou art with me."  What a comfort!  Even though tough times come.  Even though I may feel alone, I'm not!  Over and over through the Scriptures this truth rings true!

Matthew 28:20....."I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

2 Chronicles 16:9....."The eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the whole earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."

Psalm 3:3......"But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory and One who lifts my head."

But I think my favorite word in this verse is the word "through".  That tells me that no matter what I'm experiencing right now, what valley I'm in, what the difficulty is, it isn't permanent!  I won't be in this tough time forever, because this verse tells me that I walk through the valley.  I don't walk into it to stay!  And that, my friends, brings me great comfort!

The "into" comes later, in the last verse, when "I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:6b).

Until then, whatever I'm walking through is part of the "all things" that are working together for my good and His glory (see Romans 8:28-29).  So I walk through the valley with my eyes fixed on Jesus because He is with me.  As He promised He would be.  Even in the valley.

Finally Home

Back in the spring, shortly after Easter, my husband and I packed our bags and relocated to Columbia, SC for what we expected to be a three - at most, four - week extended visit with his parents while his dad had knee replacement surgery and the rehab that would follow.  Little did we know then that the few weeks would turn into a few months!  And now.....some four and a half months later.....we are finally home.

If you have followed our journey, you know that the surgery went well but the rehab took longer than expected.  You also are aware that the journey included the care of Al's mom whose Alzheimer's has worsened dramatically over these few months.  These have been challenging months, to say the least.

And now we're home. Finally home. We had a brief respite in July when we returned home to rest a little and enjoy some family time with sons and grandsons.  How very glad I am to be finally home!

It was wonderful to sleep in my own bed!  To be in my own shower!  To have coffee out of my own coffee pot!  In my own favorite coffee mug!  I loved the coolness of a mountain morning after months of the oppressive heat and humidity that are part of summer in "famously hot" Columbia, SC!  It's the little things, isn't it??!!

But even as I'm enjoying being home again, my thoughts are also turning toward the day when I am truly "finally home".  As much as I am loving being home again here, how much greater will be my joy on that day when I am truly "finally home". 

I'm looking forward to that day.......the day about which Jesus spoke when He said, "In my Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."  (John 14:2-3 NASB).

That day when "we shall always be with the Lord."  (1 Thess. 4:17b NASB)

I'm looking forward to that day......to being finally home.

 

But just think of stepping on shore-And finding it Heaven!
Of touching a hand-And finding it God's!
Of breathing new air-And finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory-And finding it home! 

(Don Wyrtzen)