Nov. 15, 2007
As the Tree, So Goes the Man
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The weather around these parts has been a little confused this year. There are some years when we still have enough warm weather on and off that we still need to mow the grass in November. This morning I went out to mow the grass while waiting for my sons to clean their rooms. (I have learned to find a project during this time rather than waiting on them....it's a long wait). No sooner than I got started, little pillows of cold start flying around. Just a few flurries, no big deal. But, it's got me thinking.... Ya know, like I (and most all) say every year, this year has gone by so quickly. Honestly, I didn't realize that next week was Thanksgiving until yesterday. How genius the concept of seasons. And so much like God to continually refresh and renew. We've had a lot going on this year, not unlike years prior. We spent the early part of the year going back and forth between Florida and Indiana watching this ugly thing called death snatch away my Father-in-law. Then the middle part of the year was spent dealing with, yet, more of another ugly thing called the "justice" system. (Or injustice as the case may be). My word is my vow....outside of God, we would have, long ago, become bitter, joyless apathetic people. Folks, believe me when I tell you, that there is a strength that is beyond your or my power to recruit. If you would have told me three and a half years ago that we'd still be swimming upstream in this nonsense, I would have told you to shoot me then. But, somehow, by His great love and mercy He's carried us through. Oh yeah....hard it's been....but, in the midst of it all, there's been a hope and a certain strength that only comes from an active faith in the One who calms the storms to a whisper. One thing about seasons is that, no matter what, as long as the earth continues to revolve around the sun, there will be renewal. There will be growth. When we first built our home, we had two newly planted trees in our front yard. At that time, they were weak and vulnerable - young and unreliable. But, today, four and a half years later, those trees are tall and have a strength that they didn't have before. They are maturing and we can, fairly well, rely on the fact that these trees aren't going to surrender to the elements. The hot summer days and the cold snowy nights, they'll have more ability to withstand. The seasons have given them growth and life experience that they didn't know before. As the tree, so goes the man. The seasons aren't meant to allay life, but to sustain life. With change and renewal come improvement and gain. Sometimes, thanksgiving overflows from our hearts and sometimes, thanksgiving is a sacrifice. During the difficult times, we give God that sacrifice of thanksgiving that says that we know that, while much pain is taking place, much growth and character are being formed. Being the humans that we are, we can't always appreciate someone else's pain unless we've strapped on their sandals for a while. We find security and trust in the person who we know has been where we are. It's not fun or easy; it takes you out of the shallow and plunges you into the deep before you ever feel ready to take that dive. These seasons of life....the pain, the joy, the excitement and the hardship.....they all show the footprints of God as he joins us through life. And I'm thankful for that. Overall....truly, it has been a nice year, and with never a dull moment, as usual. The seasons of the calender often go by much faster than the seasons of life do, but I love how the two agree in so many ways. They both, quietly and subtly bring about a refreshing change for the betterment of nature and of man. As obscure as it may sound....this thanksgiving I think that what I find myself most thankful for is the gift of seasons. |