A NEW SEASON

Sitting and looking out the window and being dazzled by the fall colors I’m reminded of a conversation I had recently with a woman at church.  I was commenting on how beautiful the trees where and how we were enjoying having seasons up here on the mountain when she told me that California has always had seasons.  She pointed out that southern California has four seasons; Earth Quake, Santa Ana Winds, Fire, and the Rainy season.  How foolish of me to not have seen this before, after all I have lived in California almost my entire life. In reality “seasons” come in many forms; climate, health, spiritual, emotional and even age.  You see, it is all in your perspective.   
 
I am in a “season” of my life that I am really enjoying.  Our children are grown and on their own, we have five grandchildren whom we adore and get to spoil, and we are pursuing a new ministry that God has touched our hearts with.  Sounds really great doesn’t it?  Well, as with all things there is always the “but” factor.  Did I forget to mention that there is work involved?  When the leaves fall in all their glory someone still has to rake them up and throw them away, right?  So it is in this new season of life for me.  There is still work to be done.  Our children may be grown, but there are still areas of their life that they may ask for guidance.   I have always felt impressed by the Lord to impact our grandchildren’s lives as well.  There will always be opportunity to model for your children how to grow old gracefully, how to be a good grandparent, how to continue to serve the Lord no matter what your age, and the list goes on forever.  Just because they are grown doesn’t mean you stop being a parent.  I keep a quote on my desk in our office that reminds me daily of this, “Making the decision to have a child is momentous; it is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body!”  Elizabeth Stone.
 
There are many “seasons” in our life, one’s that are very busy with raising a family and all the events that are wrapped up in that.  There are those that present us with decisions that will change our lives forever, and there are those that affect us physically.  There are even one’s that are slower than we expected them to be.  No matter what “season” you find yourself in today, there are three things that I would like to recommend you look for in every “season”;   Joy, Peace, and Contentment.  In scripture it tells us that we should “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18.  It’s not always easy to be joyful in the midst of a “season” but, you can find joy in knowing that God is in control and He will never let you walk through a situation that you and He together can’t handle.
 
In the “knowing”, there is Peace.  Peace that passes all understanding.  Those around you will not get it; you should be in a puddle on the floor, but yet, here you are standing upright and smiling no less.  What does peace feel like?  Well it is different for everyone.  For me it’s like seeing everyone around the table at end of a good meal full and satisfied, please forgive the analogy but I’m a mom after all.  You can sit back and feel everyone’s contentment.  It’s GREAT!  This feeling of peace is not just there; it is the result of accepting His will for your life, and making the decision to be happy there.  For me it is always exciting to look forward to the next “season” while still living in the present.  You see that’s the key to peace, living in the present!
 
There is a famous line from a prayer that goes like this, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Did you know that there is more to that prayer? It describes contentment far better than I.  It goes on to say, “Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen.”  Reinhold Niebuhr. What an awesome statement of faith!  So tell me, what season of life are you in right now?  Are you happy and content or just riding this one out?  How will you enter the next “season” of your life, will it be with anticipation of what is to come or dread because of the decisions you may have made in the previous one? Remember, there are things in this life we can’t change and there are others that God is just waiting to show you how to!  May you begin to know true joy, peace, and contentment in your present “season” and in those to come.