It seems like the months are just flying by us. Maybe it is just me. Before we know it, summer will be over and we will be looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas! I look around nature and I see a few trees already changing colors, and losing their leaves. I wonder if they are a little confused with the extreme heat we have experienced in the past 3 months. With every new month there is a new anticipation. What is in store for us this month? We really don't know. Except the things we have scheduled, such as doctor appointments, trips, celebrations with family and friends, meetings and so on, we never know what each day will bring. We pray that it will be something good, fun and exciting, but sometimes we get unexpected news.
As I have mentioned before, one of my favorite scriptures is Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, "A TIME FOR EVERYTHING'...King Solomon, in the Old Testament, who was the wisest and richest man alive, was on a quest to understand what makes life worth living. (In recent times suicide is rising among 10 to 18 year olds! It is sad to see that they don't believe life is worth living). King Solomon talks about how things are so meaningless. He repeats that 30 times! Things are empty and unsatisfying. He has somewhat of a depressing view of things, if you ask me. However, the more you read, the more you understand what he is trying to tell us, and what his conclusion is.
He taks about the meaning of life and that there is a season for everything. All our emotions and actions, both positive and negative, are important. But seasons are temporary, and we must learn to accept them and try to adapt. Plants, birds and most animals adapt to new environments and change their ways, and so should we! Our life on earth is temporary. Nothing is forever.
It takes faith to persevere all the hardships, trials and challenges. Once you understand and internalize this fact, then it is much easier to cope and deal with that circumstance. I know that it is not always easy, but it is doable. I moved with my parents when I was 12 years old. We went from Istanbul, Turkey, a diverse population in the millions, warm mediteranian climate, to Sodershoping, Sweden, mostly white people and population 5 thousand. Oh, did I mention the climate? Six months of snow!!
In the mid sixties Sweden had not experienced the influx of diverse foreign people, like they are today. The citizens looked at us with suspicion and called us "utlaningar", meaning "foreigners. I went into school speaking zero swedish. Kids can be nasty and cruel, and make fun of other students, if they don't know you. My best friend from Finland and I got our share of ridicule. It was not fun, but we endured it. The best thing for me to do was to learn the language immediately and adapt. Which I did.Looking back at those times, I feel fortunate to have experienced another country and their people. Although at times, it was tough, it was temporary, the pain is not remembered after all those years. Five years later, my parents and I moved again (my dad's dream to come to the United States). Now I needed to adapt again to a new country with different customs, climate and language. It was difficult at first, but it didn't kill me, I think it made me stronger. It was a new challenge. Looking back, I think my parents had it the toughest. They were already in their mid 50's and early 60's, not easy learning new things and going to work without speaking English. But again, we all survived. The good outweighed the bad, and I feel blessed to be here.
As we look around the world and our country today, we are experiencing some very challenging times. Many people are fighting wars, they are experiencing famines and persecusions. The freedoms we have enjoyed for so many years, seem to be fading away and doing bad things is viewed as good, and doing good things is viewed as bad. Everything seems to be upside down. Many families can barely make ends meet. High inflation, high gas prices, godlessness, lawlessness, crime, violence and destruction in many big cities is out of hand. The government wants control of your children, because "they know best". I no longer know how to address people, or God forbit I say something that may offend them. The division among the people and the animosity towards people who have different views is something I have never experienced in my fifty plus years in America. Some of my friends have stopped talking to me because we have different views and values. I am fine with that. Some people will never se the light. They will saty in the darkness because they are unwilling to change or see the other side. They are stubborn people who think their way is the only way. We don't need those people in our lives! All these things are enough to make you depressed and want to give up. Many feel hopeless and I can understand why.
However, King Solomon also advises that we should enjoy daily, the simple things and pleasures; eating, drinking, enjoying our work,enjoying our families, enjoying God's creation, which is all around us, only if we take time to see it and appreciate it. All these things are gifts from God. His book concludes by saying: Fear God, keep his commandments, for that is the duty of man. God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Unfortunately, too many people seem to have turned away from God. We only want God to give us good things and if anything goes wrong in our lives, we walk away from God, as if it is his fault. Well, sometimes we cause our own problems.
I do beleive that God has a special purpose for every season in our lives, and that is because he works through us to do what he has called us to do! I have seen and experienced it too many times.
Time passes. Seasons change. People come in and out of our lives for a reason. We can always depend on our unchanging God. No matter what season we are in, He is our Provider, Protector, Father and Friend. God is present (whether you believe it or not) in every aspect of our life, whether it is our valleys or our mountaintops. I believe that He weeps with us in our valleys and He rejoices in our mountaintops.
There is a time for Everything-and a season for every activity under the heavens
A time to be born and a time to die
A time to plant and a time to uproot
A time to kill and a time to heal
A time to tear down and a time to build
A time to weep and a time to laugh
A time to mourn and a time to dance
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them
A time for embrace and a time to refrain from embracing
A time to search and a time to give up
A time to keep and a time to throw away
A time to tear and a time to mend
A time to be silent and a time to speak
A time to love and a time to hate
A time for war and a time for peace
Indeed there is a time for everything. We may not agree with all of the above, but I am not as wise or as rich as King Solomon, so for now, I will have to take his word from all his research. Although he lived some 3000 years ago, what he taught us, has endured through the ages, and it is as pertinent today as it was then.
Have a great month!
