Christmas cards have been ordered. Sparkling lights brighten the outside of our home and tubs of decorations fill the inside just waiting for a team of girls to go to work. The tree is up and Christmas music adds festivity. It's Thanksgiving break and we're so thankful for the week off-- including plenty of rest and time with extended family. My oldest daughter and her friends fill our house with delicious baked treats as they try out new recipes. The scene is picture perfect in many ways and I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the rich blessings around us. So..... why do I feel so bah humbug as we welcome another holiday season? Even the annual tradition of watching "Elf" felt odd to me this year. It's not the typical to-do list, the shopping requests or the commercialization of Christmas that gets to me. I think it's the passing of time and the increased speed of each year that gives me pause. I keep thinking, "Didn't we JUST welcome the New Year?!" "2014-- where did it go?" "It seems we just celebrated Thanksgiving in Katy, Texas." These thoughts go on and on as I feel like it should be spring or early summer, NOT quickly approaching winter already! And, whatever happened to fall in Texas?! It's my favorite season and it lasted close to 10 days with the late departure of unwelcome heat and the early arrival of freezing weather. Of course the year was a full one-- we savored the busy days! We have multiple photo albums of memories reminding us of the Lord's goodness to us. I have no regrets. Still, I'm amazed by how quickly the weeks passed in 2014. It's as if the planets raced around the sun in their orbit making the seasons shorter somehow.
Maybe, this perspective is a normal mindset for those entering the mid-forties.... a midlife shift of sorts? Is this what they call a mid-life crisis? In the recent weeks, our church family welcomed two sweet baby girls and a baby boy to this world with great joy. At the same time, we celebrated the home-going of a dear sister-in-Christ as she entered the glories of heaven. Both beginning and end of life give us pause and cause us to offer much praise and thanksgiving to God. While these precious babies know none of the sufferings of life in a fallen world as they begin their days on earth, our amazing friend, who endured suffering through the various seasons of life, knows only peace in presence of her Savior as she also knows none of the sadness of this world anymore. Unlike these dear souls, I am in the middle of life on earth and all too aware of the tragic and horrific circumstances filling the news of our days. Thankfully, I am acquainted with the One who numbers our days and who rules over the the seasons with unending faithfulness. I rest in His care as He holds my days with steadfast love.
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want ......... Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever." from Psalm 23
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