My heart is very full, Father, and so much is spilling out of my heart. I cannot hope to get it all out in our time together but with Your help, I surely will!
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This coming Sunday the church my dad pastored when I was in high school will be celebrating their 70th Anniversary! Mom and Dad, my sister, myself, and our families were all invited to go and celebrate with them but due to multiple responsibilities and the wear and tear of age, we will not be able to do so.
I know I’ve written numerous times about things in my life relating to Parsons and as I was writing some things for them to share at their celebration, I went back through my posts from over the years. I know that I’ve gotten back to writing original posts in the last several weeks, but I really feel led to share at least one of those posts from Parsons. My formative years were in Parsons. It was there that the last pieces came together for me to begin my entrance into the ministry.
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We live in the beautiful state of Ohio, my adoptive home. I am proud to say that I was born and raised in West Virginia, a place of unequaled beauty, as well. Over the past several days, I have seen several posts from friends in higher elevations where they have had snow!
Yes, we are halfway through April and our grass is as green as green can be, but we have had snow – nothing measurable! – flying through the air, as well. Right now, it is beautiful outside. Karen mowed this afternoon and at the moment the sun is shining brightly, casting long shadows across our lawn as our day is coming to an end.
Regardless of what it is like now, the weather app on my phone is calling for up to an inch of snow accumulation here tonight! As the saying goes, “If you don’t like the weather here, wait 5 minutes and it will change!” I love snow but I am surely ready for warmer temps and being outside a bit more!
In the midst of this transitional weather, a memory popped into my head a couple of days ago and I wanted to share it.
Between my freshman and sophomore years in high school, my dad – a pastor, as well – accepted a church in Parsons, WV. It sits squarely in the Appalachian Mountains and is part of the great Monongahela National Forest. Parsons sat in the valley but with Canaan Valley Ski Resort in the county, we obviously got our fair share of snow!
One winter’s evening, as the snow began to fall steadily all around us, my sister Katrina and I decided to take our dog, Sugar, for a walk into the center of town. It was less than a mile and we were in no hurry. It was late enough that traffic was non-existent. No one was around and we just quietly walked through the falling snow, with nothing but the sound of crunching snow beneath our feet. Walking past the streetlights…it was just beautiful.
So much Has transpired in our lives since that simple time. We, each, have had our ups and our downs. The good and the bad we have shared, just as everyone does. There are times we wish we could erase and there are many, many other times that our heart’s desire would be for them to last forever. But, of course, that’s just not how it works.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 seems very appropriate.
1 For everything there is a season,
…. a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
… .A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
…. A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
…. A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
…. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
…. A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
…. A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
…. A time for war and a time for peace. (NLT)
The season in which we find ourselves is different from any other we have yet to experience. We may desire to wish our way out of it but…that’s just not how it works. Pray that the Lord will use this time to draw you closer to Him. For only in Him is the comfort we seek.
(Apr 16th, 2020, Thurs, 7:09 pm)
Aug 13th, 2023, Sun, 9:01 pm
