Redefining the Season

September, October and November. Ah…  I love the Fall season.  The weather changes from the thick warm air to the now wrap yourself in your favorite quilt.  With the changing of the season comes the changing of routine.  Vacations have taken their place in fond memories, the kids again are finding the big yellow bus, and coffee seems to again take on a priority of the cool mornings.  Season and change have somewhat of a synonymous meaning.

Certain seasons bring with them familiarity, habits and patterns.  For years my summer months consisted of preparing, studying and researching for the upcoming launch of the Fall Womens Bible Study. As the Leader, I gathered and met with my team of women, sent out the postcard invitations to the women of the church, then on that September fall morning with Bible and notebook in hand, and a message on my heart, I stood welcoming some 40 gals as they bustled in all cheery eyed, hugging amongst all as if the reunion could not be soon enough. For the next few months, we studied, prayed, laughed, cried and grew in our love for God together.  Seasons.

Often with the change of season comes an entangled set of habits or life patterns.  Some of course are a necessity, running out the door as we drop off the kids to practice, battle traffic to get to work.  However, (let us take pause) there may be life patterns (not so good and no so healthy) that have the OPTION of change.  “Hm… we have an ‘option?’  But I’ve always done it this way, this is all I know. This is WHO I am. This is familiar.”  We self define and define the season. May I boldly say, “We are too COMFORTABLE here.”  If you would allow me, (whilst the kids are now safely on the bus, morning duties completed, and it’s just you and I.) Let’s invite the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds to His gentle whisper.  Are there thought patterns or a heart condition that need to be addressed? Is THIS the season to address them?

Recently looking at Paul’s words to the folks in Philippi (chapter 4) he speaks to anxiety and prayer, God’s peace, having a gentle spirit and joy.  He then pens those words… you know the ones where he commissions us to basically get our mental act together:  “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell (think) on these things.” – verse 8 (emphasis mine)  The last couple of days I have looked at what it is to ‘think’ about stuff.  Stuff.. all stuff. I came across a very interesting word in the Greek, ‘eunoia’ (yoo-noy-ah) meaning, ‘wholeheartedness, enthusiasm, eagerness’.  But it is much more, in short, (trust me, I’m being SHORT) eunoia is well minded or beautiful thinking. It can also mean ‘to agree’. How/what are we ‘thinking?’  Are they beautiful thoughts?   Are they true, right and pure? Are they God thoughts, are we ‘agreeing’ with Him? Do we have thought patterns that NEED some changing? Now is the time.

Solomon spoke to seasonal changing as well:

“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time (season)for every event under heaven—
A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace. ”   – Ecc 3:1-8 NAS

Is it time?  The ‘appointed’ God time. Time to take that hurt that may seem to sit in a priced glass box for others to see, take it out and give it to God, ‘a time to heal.’ Is it time to change the ‘torn apart’ and ‘sew together?’ Is it the season to build up, laugh, dance, to embrace?  Is it time to give birth to something new in your heart?

YOU define the season. Redefining.  The season for change is now. Think on it. Think with your whole heart, enthusiastically and with much eagerness. If this is a season to ‘prepare’ for the next, then …prepare.

“Father, we invite You, come and invade our thoughts, just as King David said, “O Lord You have searched me and You know me, You know when I sit and when I rise, You perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down, You are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely.*”  You know us. Grace us with desire to change, the insight to see and the wisdom to do it.  We are Yours.  In the most powerful and precious name of Jesus.”

Redefining the season. Just like Michael Jordan redefined the jump shot, YOU redefine this season, from mourning to laughter.

Shoot me an email if you prayed this prayer with eagerness, (dede4him@gmail.com)

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love & good deeds.” – Heb. 10:24)

*Psalm 139:1-4