"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Eccles 3:1
I pondered this scripture from the Old Testament this morning and realized that I'm in a new season of life. It is always amazing when we can actually identify beginnings and endings in our daily circumstances. This time it is just WHAM! Stop. And then pick up here. Do you ever have those times? What do you do about them?
This stop and start season reminds me of riding the subway in New York City. One time we had a spectacular blizzard, think it was 2003. For some strange reason I decided to go into Manhattan to my office. Yes, I'm a workaholic! Taking a taxi from my apartment to the transit station, I boarded the #4 then WHAM! all of a sudden the train stopped. Normally that wouldn't have been a problem except we were at one of the junctions under the East River. Oh, that was bad enough.
So here we are, my fellow passengers and me, just reading and doing what subway riders in New York City normally do, when another WHAM! all the lights went out. We were under the East River in complete darkness. A few moments passed and some of the most horrible odors started to seep into the cracks of the car we were in. Terrorists attack? It had only been two years since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. My own prayers began to go towards heaven.
I had on my sneakers (all New Yorkers know to wear flat shoes on subways for just a time as this), and I had my purse flashlight. If you've ever seen the darkness of the subway lines, you know is it beyond blackness. Its hard to estimate time in total darkness--have you ever noticed that? All you could hear was the muffled talk of the passengers; moms trying to calm kids, and the steady drip, drip, drip of water seeping into the tunnel.
After a while the train was gearing back up to move along. Emergency lights were flickering, ah relief. It was short lived and we stopped and started many times into Manhattan that day.
What does that have to do witha a time and a season under heaven? I learned that I can still become instantly concerned about being in complete darkness (LOL) and that I can sit calmly and wait for help, or make a plan out of any situation. The seasons of life are sandpaper to build a better tomorrow, and for that I am truly grateful.
Like many of you, I have had horrendous WHAM! Slams! in life, but always God has been there to help me pick up the pieces and move me on down the tracks of life.
This stop and start season reminds me of riding the subway in New York City. One time we had a spectacular blizzard, think it was 2003. For some strange reason I decided to go into Manhattan to my office. Yes, I'm a workaholic! Taking a taxi from my apartment to the transit station, I boarded the #4 then WHAM! all of a sudden the train stopped. Normally that wouldn't have been a problem except we were at one of the junctions under the East River. Oh, that was bad enough.
So here we are, my fellow passengers and me, just reading and doing what subway riders in New York City normally do, when another WHAM! all the lights went out. We were under the East River in complete darkness. A few moments passed and some of the most horrible odors started to seep into the cracks of the car we were in. Terrorists attack? It had only been two years since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. My own prayers began to go towards heaven.
I had on my sneakers (all New Yorkers know to wear flat shoes on subways for just a time as this), and I had my purse flashlight. If you've ever seen the darkness of the subway lines, you know is it beyond blackness. Its hard to estimate time in total darkness--have you ever noticed that? All you could hear was the muffled talk of the passengers; moms trying to calm kids, and the steady drip, drip, drip of water seeping into the tunnel.
After a while the train was gearing back up to move along. Emergency lights were flickering, ah relief. It was short lived and we stopped and started many times into Manhattan that day.
What does that have to do witha a time and a season under heaven? I learned that I can still become instantly concerned about being in complete darkness (LOL) and that I can sit calmly and wait for help, or make a plan out of any situation. The seasons of life are sandpaper to build a better tomorrow, and for that I am truly grateful.
Like many of you, I have had horrendous WHAM! Slams! in life, but always God has been there to help me pick up the pieces and move me on down the tracks of life.
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1 comment:
I would have been scared to death! I understand having a plan when you feel left in total darkness. First, I know God has a bigger plan but then I also know I have to be ready to do the plan he is opening for me.
I went through a time like that this year--thankfully we aren't left in the darkness forever.
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