Ecclesiastes

This week I have been bit by the spring cleaning bug - so has Aaron. This is great. We have a new best friend - the label maker. We seem to accumulate a large amount of paper, we have stacks and stacks that come in the mail. Some things we can toss - others we need to keep. But until this week we have both been at a loss for the best way to keep those items. Aaron asked me to get a label maker earlier this week, so I did. It is so cool. The result, an organized filing system. All papers have been tossed or filed away. Our office room is becoming less and less cluttered. I have been taking books to 1/2 price books and selling them. (do not take more then one bag of books at a time ... I get the same price each time I drop off 1 bag or 2) Aaron has also acquired a number of books for ministry - I am considering the dewey decimal system ...? As we organize there is a feeling of control. I still have my beads to get under control - but that I am looking forward to. I also plan to work on organizing Jeremy's things. I need to decide what items to keep out and put away for safe keeping - that will still be easily accessible.
So what does Ecclesiastes have to do with this? One of the days this week I was listening to Francis Chan (wrote Crazy Love / pastor in Cali) I enjoy the messages he shares. He is bold in the word and speaks with the authority of God and never ending love of Jesus. Anyway ... in this particular message he read the entire book of Ecclesiastes - 12 chapters. He stopped between each with reflections and selected various people in the church to read.
This book was written by King Solomon, to all those searching for the meaning of life. A topic that over the past months I have wrestled with.

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 and 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, 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 tie for war and a time for peace. What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has placed on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil - this is the gift of God. I know everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. Ecclesiastes 3:1-14

Once again, I am reminded that I do not need to unfold the meaning of life - how would that help me. The Lord already has a good and perfect plan - and TIME for everything. My little mind cannot even begin to understand or fathom what God has done. I am daily thankful for the continued developing relationship in Christ. Because of that relationship, I do not need to question - I must trust and walk in faith. Not always easy ... but I will never be perfect in this relationship - thank you Lord that you do not expect me to.
Lord, continue to surround me with your strength and love. I pray to be willing and obedient to your plan. In your sons name, Jesus. AMEN.

GRACE AND PEACE!