Fall Changes

 

The leaves on the trees are changing colors now, and they are gorgeous!  I hate to see summer end, but I must say God decorates the autumn season quite nicely. 

When we were in Hobby Lobby Saturday, I saw a sign that said “Fall is proof that change can be beautiful.”  That is true, but it also stepped on my toes a little bit. 

Normally I don’t like change that much.  I accept it reluctantly.  I’m not talking about the changes in the seasons.  I am talking about changes in life. 

I don’t know why I am like this.  Some people thrive on change.  I’ve heard people say change helps you grow.  Maybe.  I guess it depends on what the change is. 

OK, let me back up a little bit.  Life events such as marriage, buying a new home, or having a new baby are all good changes.  They usually lead to many happy times. 

Other life altering changes are not so good.  Living with the loss of someone we love can be quite difficult.  It changes everything!  It even changes how holidays are celebrated. 

Losing our job, the loss of our own health, and losing our home are examples of other changes which can cause heartache.  And yet, God’s word says we are to be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:18). 

James goes so far as to say we are to “count it all joy” when we “meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2). 

I once met an older lady who lost her teenage daughter years before I met her.  She said she was angry about her loss for a long time; but she finally learned how to be thankful for the time she had with her daughter.  She was grateful for the joy her daughter brought when she was alive. 

I think this is what it means to be thankful in all circumstances.  It is not always easy to adopt this attitude, especially at first.  We will always miss those who’ve gone one before us. 

But with God’s help, it can be done.  He will give us the strength to do what we need to do.  Having our loved one with us for a while is far better than never having known them at all. 

When I used to say I was thankful for some good thing that happened, Dad would ask me – what would you do if it didn’t work out that way?  Now, I think I know why. 

Thanks Dad, for always reminding me God loves me more!

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful" (Colossians 3:15).  

Christ above all things - Robin

My Poppa Loves Me

He was a delight every week.  I loved having him in our Wednesday night Bible class.  This little boy has such a great imagination.  Of course this was several years ago.  He is in middle school now, but he was only three years old when he was in my class. 

Both of my students came from close-knit families and I was so thankful for that!  We were talking about their day before we started class.  Even at three, the children enjoyed visiting with one another. 

He talked about being with “Nana” and “Poppa” that afternoon.  He was the youngest grandchild and he was close to his grandfather.  At the end of his story, he looked straight at me and said, “My poppa loves me!” 

He said it with such assurance.  There was no doubt in his mind that Poppa loved him.  It is a sweet memory for me.  I highly respected his grandfather who was a faithful Christian. 

I am always thankful for children who have such close families.  It does my heart good.  We know not every family is like this – even sometimes the ones who put their best foot forward and attend worship and Bible classes with a bright smile on their faces.  Sadly, those bright smiles may not show up very often at home. 

The faith my young Bible student had in his grandfather was for me a literal example of what true, solid faith is.  We should all be confident in our Heavenly Father’s love.  He is the perfect parent and we are His children.

God is our maker.  He created us.  Without Him we are nothing – but even knowing there is no way we can compare to the One and Only True, Living God we can be assured of His love for us. 

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, John wrote “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).

What a magnificent feeling it is to know our God loves us! 

Another passage from Psalm 103:13-14 gives us a beautiful description of a loving father.  “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.  For He knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust."   

We can be as sure of God’s love for us as my Bible class student was of the love his grandfather had for him.  

With rock solid faith we can say, “My Heavenly Father loves me!”

Christ above all things - Robin