A Wise Man Once Said...

1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

It wasn't just any wise man that penned these oft-quoted words. No, it wasn't The Byrds. It was King Solomon. His wisdom was a special blessing from God and these words are God-breathed, inspired truth from the very heart of God. It would seem almost foolish to try to mess with these timeless and profound truths, but if you will indulge me, I am struck with some personal applications. Consider it my effort to apply the truth of this particular passage of Scripture to my life this week.

1 There is a time for everything, (but, I fear, not nearly enough time to do everything! What am I missing?!)
and a season for every activity under the heavens (there seem to be seasons when there are almost too many activities under this family's roof!):

2 a time to be born and a time to die, (and a time to grieve with friends who face the latter rather than the former)
a time to plant and a time to uproot, (and a time to rake and rake...and rake)
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, (and a time to admit defeat with the houseplant in the other room, pitch it, and start again)
a time to tear down and a time to build, (and a time to do both - we are nearing the end of our addition! Hooray!)
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, (I love the times when one turns to the other - this usually means I am with dear friends)
a time to mourn and a time to dance, (I mourn with my friend, and I remember that we do not sorrow as those who have no hope. I think I will refrain from dancing, lest I cause anyone else to mourn)
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, (a time for a ground breaking, perhaps...I just participated in one recently...A wonderful new facility for the elderly, where Christian hearts will put their hands to good use loving the aging saints)
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, (it's always a good time to embrace my husband and children...and praying and trusting God for each of our faithfulness in our marriage - in here lies the refraining)
6 a time to search and a time to give up, (Black Friday anyone?)
a time to keep and a time to throw away, (I'll be moving into a new closet soon!)
7 a time to tear and a time to mend, (this is my mom's job - thanks for all the altering and fixing you've done lately!)
a time to be silent and a time to speak, (Have you heard the words of Emerson? Let us be silent that we may consider the wonderful works of the Lord? Or perhaps with words of James, "Let us be swift to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry," Lord, may my words be few and filled with truth)
8 a time to love and a time to hate, (love God, one another; hate evil, sin...)
a time for war and a time for peace. (maybe it's a war on stains? a war on tub scum? War on mildew? or, elevating things, a war against pride, selfishness, temptation, an unbridled tongue...If it be possible, as much as is in you, live peaceably with all men)

Seasons change. Here in the chilly north, we've seen hail and snow already. The leaves have lost their vibrancy and made their brown beds in heaps in yards and ditches. Our pumpkins awake kissed with frost and the last of the fall mums shiver as they raise their heads to the far-off rays of November sun. The freshly sharpened pencils that once graced school desks have been replaced by their homelier cousins, all stubby and bitten and bereft of erasers. Mornings dawns with a persistent, blaring alarm with no accompanying wake-up call from the sun. It is sometimes hard to say goodbye to the crisp sweetness of fall, bracing myself for the long cold winter ahead. This year, will you join me in my effort to embrace the changes and trust God to get us through whatever season of life in which He places us, reaching for His guiding hand, trusting Him for each step, whether they be through cheerfully rustling leaves, muddy puddles, uncertain icy patches or deep drifts that threaten to hold us cold and fast in one spot?