We sat drinking the last of the coffee and discussing our options.”
–Lou Bradshaw (Blue)
“Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!”
–Romans 11:33 (NLT)
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What? You didn’t think I’d leave you “Paineless” right off the bat did you? Just like so many things in life there must come a weaning process. I wouldn’t want you to start crying and whining right away.
We had a good devotion yesterday morning about “Seasons.” It was very apropos for the time in which I find myself. It also made me think of the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes.
“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.”
–Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NLT)
Now with each of these there could be a paper written, and that may happen sometime in the future. However, right now just look at that first phrase, “For everything there is a season…”. My favorite time of the year is autumn. When I was younger I would say “spring” for that was the beginning of baseball season; as years progressed autumn became my favorite.
I loved to wander the woods in the fall. Sometimes I would hunt, but for me the joy of hunting was being out in God’s great cathedral. If I came back with game that was fine, but the greater enjoyment was to be out in the woods. Often I would practice some of the skills I had gained.
As my wife and I venture into a new era of our life–a new season–I reckon it is still autumn. I don’t feel or believe I am in the “winter” of my life. Oh, sure it is on the horizon, but right now I want to concentrate; need to enjoy this season that the Lord has given us.
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A word about the “Echoes.” During the summer I write about various things. All sorts of things go through my gray matter and you never know what you might read here. In the Daily Paines I kept to one page for I understand that people are busy and do not want to read more than a page. (Hmmm, we’ve sure gotten mentally lazy, or is it that we are technologically busy?) However, there may be up to a page and a half of printed page with the Echoes. I’m still feeling my way in how I want to format my notes (or maybe I should say my mind). I trust that you’ll continue to read, and that every once in a while one of these the Lord will use to speak to you in some form.
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First day of summer vacation, first day of retirement and sitting outside listening to the birds, especially the doves. My sweetie is sitting here with me and we are just chatting. Oh, yeah, and drinking coffee, ahhhhhh. And look what else, I’m sharing it with my readers. Have a great day!