There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
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 to 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.
(Ecclesiastes 3:1,4-8 NIV)
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes…
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets
In mid nights, in cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife
In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, a year in the life?
One more year. Today I turned one year older. Introspective as I am, I was trying to think of a theme or an idea that might encompass the past year of my life and the list of things I came up with is not unlike the Bible passage or the song I posted above.
What’s the number of books I read, tears I cried, classes I taught or sermons I preached?
How many booboos have I kissed, steps did I help my kids take or laughs did we laugh together?
The anxieties, surprises, revelations, desires, falls, victories, and so many forgotten moments all make up the 32nd year of my life.
Every year is another season. There were times when I wished this season was over. And yet, it is because of the most difficult times that I have grown. It is because I have faced my fears, mourned my losses, and sought healing that I have discovered who I am.
A year ago, I felt lost, hurt, abandoned, terrified. Today, I feel loved, secure, hopeful.
I know I’m loved.
This has come because I have sought God and He has revealed himself to me. Even as I say it I find it so unbelievable. But He keeps His promises.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV)
I feel at a loss for words to explain what this means, how it happened, what He’s done. But He’s done it. As Israel once was reunited with the LORD, so am I. As they were given a second chance, so am I. As they were given a knew name, so am I. I don’t have the words, but I want you to know how much I praise God and thank Him for all He has given me, what He has done and how He is faithful to love.
Yes, thank you LORD for another year to know you and experience your love. Another season, a different season, full of times to weep and a times to laugh, times to mourn and times to dance, times to scatter and times to gather, times to keep and times to throw away, times to be silent and times to speak, and times to love. Always times to love. To God be the glory forever, Amen.
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