Changing Seasons - Changing Me

I returned to New Jersey from my high school class reunion in September. When I got home, I noticed the pumpkin color tinge on the Maple tree leaves in our yard. Autumn had begun. Now, I find myself holding on to the last bursts of color as we move into November.

Reunions are about looking back at treasured friends and some great memories. There is something special about being with friends who knew me when I was young. They know my family, love my mom, and remember many hours hanging out at my house. 

These kinds of relationships matter. With the busyness of life, I may not have kept in touch well enough, but now I long to renew these friendships. We have all changed over time. Life has given us good and very challenging experiences. Some of the great things have been children, grandchildren, and travels. More difficult experiences include the death of a spouse or loved one, loss of work, and all the trials of just living.

After spending the afternoon with some of my classmates over coffee, our reunion program, and dinner, I can see how time has refined them. I could see many of my classmates’ good works, filling my heart with joy. Through the changing seasons of our lives, God has refined them like gold.

Zechariah 13: 9(b)  

I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.

I see Jesus in these friends. In their smiles, in their bear hugs, in their faces. Many work for churches, in ministry, or as teachers, some at food pantries, and some as business people. We are even better than we were because although we are the same people, time has changed us. You can see God’s refinement in us, changing us to all the beautiful colors on the Tree of Life. Each branch and leaf is varied but vibrant and worthy of God’s love.

Thank you, God, for your changing seasons. Thank you for changing me and making me more of what you want me to be as I move along this path called life. I long to shimmer with color with the rest of my friends, turning leaves into beautiful colors in full display of your handiwork.

Photo by Catherine Kay Greenup @springwellion

Let your Light Shine

Tragic Suicide. Tremendous loss. Devastated parents and siblings. My son lost one of his good college friends to suicide a few weeks ago. There are no words. How could I comfort him? In his grief, he told me, “There is only darkness in this situation.” The more I thought about it, the more it sent a chill down my spine. There is darkness to such a loss, and we don’t understand it. We can’t make sense of it.

My son, his girlfriend, and two other close college friends met to begin a road trip across the country for the funeral. It was a journey. They saw beautiful Wyoming landscapes on the way and breathtaking sunsets. I am sure they sometimes did a lot of talking and other times said nothing in the face of such a tragedy. They traveled there and, amidst such darkness, brought light with them.

Pastor Tony Godlefski, a good friend, once told me a story about a Peace Corps teacher living in Africa, thirty miles from the coast. This teacher received a gift from a student who had walked thirty miles to present a beautiful seashell gift to his favorite teacher on Christmas day. The teacher said, “You’ve walked all this way to give this gift to me.” The boy replied, “But teacher, the journey is part of the gift.”

With their journey, my son and his friends brought the light within themselves as a gift into an unimaginable situation. Sometimes it may seem that darkness reins and sadness wins, but not if we let our lights shine and show up to honor and love people. When those so profoundly shaken don’t feel they can take another step, our light, and God’s light within us, shines, and comforts them when they need it the most.

We sometimes cannot prevent the darkness of choices, but we can respond with ourselves. We show up and say no to the dark and yes to the light.

Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16b

If you or someone you know needs counseling for suicide, please call or text 988, chat at 988lifeline.org

https://www.sheboyganpress.com/story/opinion/2016/12/17/letters-journey-part-gift/95535458/

photo by Cathal Mac @Cathalmacan

The Wonderful Cross

Sometimes, I just can't put into words what Easter means to me. But I guess I'll try. 

When I begin to reflect on Easter, my mind slips back into hearing and singing beautiful Easter hymns, like, Christ the Lord has Risen Today, The Wonderful Cross. or Christ Arose. It is a privilege to sing those hymns at church or alone, reflecting on what Christ did for every one of us. 

Recently, I went to my local nursery to look at the spring plants. I have been so anxious for spring; this was my second visit in two weeks. The first trip there was on a grey day, and there were few spring plantings. I left disappointed. I returned a week later, and oh, how things had changed upon my second visit! When I walked in, the smell of hyacinths was so fresh and sweet that I thought I might fall over. As I walked through the store, the variety of colors was a symphony to my senses—purple, pink, yellow, and orange. Orchids in extravagant bloom, a sea of pansies filled one end of the place. Hydrangea of white, pink, and lavender was at my feet—Easter baskets filled with yellow daffodils. It gave me such joy and hope, winter was over, and New Life had come.

It's kind of like that. Jesus's death on the cross gave the disciples a feeling of defeat, but joy came when they learned of his resurrection! 

Thank goodness we have a Savior, Jesus Christ, not just on Easter day but every day. If we believe in this resurrection power, in new life after death, we will live again, and after death, we will live in full color, in full bloom, as the most beautiful version of ourselves. There will be no more grey winter of our souls. 

There is reason to celebrate. It is Eastertime again!

Photo by Thanti Riess

The Gift of Time

We often overlook a gift we can easily give to others—the gift of time. I have found this to be a lasting gift, something that has a significant return on investment. It delivers tenfold. 

I see it in my children, who are grown now. I see the benefits of time well spent with them when they were young.

I remember a wonderful lady named Johanna. A Dutch woman I met at the grocery store. She admired my young daughter sitting in the grocery cart. Johanna and I were strangers that day, but God already knew about our meeting. 

You see, I was a young mother who had just relocated with my husband and daughter to a small rural northeastern town. The kind of mountain town that did not yet have a 911 emergency line, and we lived in a neighborhood that had black bears roaming around. And there was plenty of snow, like two feet.

I was longing for a gentlewoman friend in my life, so far from home. I needed occasional childcare for my daughter, but I knew so few people, and I felt alone. So, I prayed for someone, someone I could trust. Then came Johanna. She and I struck up a conversation in that grocery store, and I was immediately drawn to her Dutch accent and smiling, warm face. 

We became friends, and soon, she and her husband came to our house for birthday parties, and we went to theirs for some tea and watching of birds. Johanna sang Dutch lullabies to my daughter and was always up for games.

She introduced us to making Strawberry Jam. So, one sunny summer day, we went to her cousin's strawberry farm to pick strawberries and make jam. It was a wonderful, memorable time for my daughter and me. 

I was able to pass this gift of making strawberry jam to my children and my friend, Jennifer. As you will see in Part II of my New Life Series, Jennifer and I talk and laugh about our Strawberry Jam-making adventures. 

Thank you, Johanna, for being a wonderful woman of God, loving our family, and for your gifts of time.