From my previous posts, you may have gathered that I have a belief. I believe in The Most High God, I’m a Christian and have been baptised. When setting up this blog, I thought that I wouldn’t let my Christianity be my main focus or that, maybe, I wouldn’t even mention it. HOWEVER, it’s very hard not to have it creeping in. As the song from The Greatest Showman goes…’This is me!’
The title of this post is from the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. The Book of Ecclesiastes happens to be another of my favourites. As well as having the knowledge that scripture is God breathed and/or inspired, it amazes me that it’s possible to one day come across a verse or chapter that speaks directly to your life, body and soul, then on another occasion you may be reading it, with a little more information from previous verses or chapters, and it will take on a completely new meaning. It is the same with life. Things happen, but when thought about in the future, it can sometimes take on a new meaning. We can usually gain a new understanding. Occasionally, we are even able to laugh, after initially crying, pulling out our hair and being distraught.
My aim was to get this post out whilst we were still within November but, unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. Three days late isn’t too bad! Above is a beautiful autumnal scene. Autumn is the transitionary period from summer to winter, which is September to November. The view of that same area can differ greatly, depending on what time of year it’s being looked at. It will, on most occasions, be the same trees in that area, unless something drastic has happened to alter it, i.e death, disease, drought, fire or the birth or planting of a new tree, amongst other things. However, sometimes, all that glitters is not gold. At a first glance a tree may seem beautiful, but at a closer look there may be evidence of rot or wear and tear. There can even be things that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Our persona can also be affected by these same things, mentally, physically and spiritually. Our needs can or will change because of internal and external factors. The same can be said for family and friends, even strangers that we come across. We do not have a clue of exactly what each person is dealing with and also what coping mechanisms, if any, they may have. But by being given a little (or a lot of) love and attention, they can be transformed.
He can make everything beautiful in its time…
In the Book of Ecclesiastes, the third chapter tells us there is A Time for Everything. The very first verse says ‘There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven’. Everyday we can take a walk and see how wonderful this earth is, that we have been blessed with. This is no matter what the weather is like or the season we’re in. Beauty can be found in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Likewise in people.
Deciduous means tending to fall off. In Autumn, the deciduous trees or shrubs no longer need their leaves for survival in the forthcoming season, so it loses them. The leaves fall to the soil, which then enables its decomposition to provide soil bacteria and fungi. This soil bacteria then gives important nutrients to the roots. There is no longer a requirement for so much photosynthesis to take place in order for it to survive and this process provides food for other life forms, such as other organisms present in the soil below. This is a prime example of the cycle of life. The tree or shrub will then create a leaf scar, so that the water that has been collated before does not freeze over. Isn’t that amazing! I know I learnt about this stuff when I was at school but had to refresh my memory. The shrubs I have at the front of my home need not fear, they are here to stay! What a wonderful God we serve! Not everyone reading this will realise this, but my prayer is that you soon will! Before I get sidetracked, I will proceed. Yesterday I looked out of the window and the ground was covered with leaves. Prior to this, I was wondering why they were still hanging on, which is when I started reading about the cycle.
Everything has its season.
When the spring arrives, the weather begins to warm up and the sun provides the warmth they will all need to give birth to new leaves and photosynthesis will reoccur.
Give that a thought for a moment…take yourself away and think about it. What is it that you require for your ‘next season’? What is it that needs to ‘fall off’ your life. What is it that would be good for you not to take through to the new year approaching? What do you need to attract and overcome? What are you waiting to give birth to?
The point is that your thoughts on a particular thing can change from day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month and so on, but that doesn’t matter because as you go through different things; receive different information and meet different people…it can change your view; the way you feel and think about something can alter. It doesn’t necessarily mean that your thoughts were wrong at a particular time but just that you’ve learnt more. You’ve grown. You now see things from a different perspective.
Leave yourself open to new experiences and challenges. Be willing to eat new foods, go to new places, try a course and/or meet new people. Be willing to do things that you never would have done before. Do things that YOU have always wanted to do but never had the guts to. Make changes in your personal life or work. You never know what situation is waiting for a Project Manager (YOU) to take it in hand! Let the spring of 2020 mark a year of adjustment, improvement, renewal, transformation and the manifestation of anything else that is positive. Be like a caterpillar, inside its cocoon, waiting to reveal all its glory when it emerges. For He has made EVERYTHING beautiful in it’s time. Whatever you choose to do ensure you are just the way you want to be; exactly as you were meant to be. Prepare yourself by meditation, prayer and supplication. Let 2020 find you being unapologetically you…
Ecclesiastes 3 v 1-8
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace…
NIV: New International Version
Unapologetically Marcia 