"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."
Romans 12:1-2 (the Message)
I woke this morning at 6:30am and as I do every single morning I walked outside, checking to see what the weather is like. The anticipation of fall has been heavy in the air lately, however, it has still been unbelievably hot for the majority of the day, and we all know I do not like the heat.
As the garage lifted up, I felt a breeze on my bare feet and then on my face as the garage came fully open... Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy! Autumn is here! A glorious 63 degrees greeted me and the foul mood I could feel hanging over me from the moment I got out of bed, disappeared.
I adore the Fall season, every aspect of it. From pumpkin patches, to the leaves changing color. From shorter days, to chilly nights. I would be in Heaven if the weather stayed at 60 degrees year round, however like everything else in life, it is just a season. Here for a few months, and then gone until the next year.
Everything changes and I have been brought to a place in my life where I am now realizing that any change can be a good thing. People say that some changes are good, and some changes are bad... I no longer believe this. I believe that every change is good.
Whether it is used to grow your faith, used to slow you down, used as a reminder of what is most important, it really does not matter... What matter is your perspective.
My life has changed immensely in the past four years and to be able to sit back and look over those years, I now know that I would not change a thing. People have come into my life for a season and then I have people who have come in and stayed. Whether here or gone, each of them brought something to my life, as well as to my walk. They may be unpleasant people to be around, however, I now look at it as a lesson, in what not to do with others in my life.
I feel the season shifting in my life... For the past few months I could feel an undercurrent, yet I could not quite place my finger on it and to be honest, I still cannot name it. At the same time though I had a peace come over me tonight, that I am unable to put into words.
As I stood outside this evening, feeling the cool air blow across my face, I could feel Him standing with me. Staring at the stars that were twinkling, no longer concerned about why I have been feeling foul for the past few days. And as the peace settled, I knew that I was right where He needed me to be.
I know that life is not easy and I know that each of us faces trials and tribulations, and I am not going to sit here and state that all is going to be well... What I will state is that each of us has a Friend that is always there, always cares, and always has a helping hand extended to us... Change is never easy, but if you look at it with a different perspective, it can always be good.
You have all been missed so dearly and I pray all is well with each and every one of you!
DONALD LAWRENCE
I Feel Seasons Everywhere,
And I Feel Blessings In The Air;
(Those Seeds That You've Sown),
(You're Gonna Come Into Your Own, Seasons),
Walk Into Your Seasons.
