• About

Seeking and Serving

~ seek and serve Christ in all persons

Seeking and Serving

Tag Archives: Ecclesiastes

A season…

09 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by jandrewsweckerly in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

breathe, child, Ecclesiastes, God, joy, parent, purpose, season

I was talking to another parent recently about the different phases of childhood.  We both have children who are about five years old, but I also have an infant.  She confessed that having been through the development of her five year old, she could not imagine starting over with all that a baby entails – the diapers, bottles, interrupted sleep, and crying.  I sympathized with her, but I had to admit that my experience was quite different.  With my first child, every phase of development felt big and overwhelming.  I worried and fretted about how to meet each new challenge and how to adjust my life for each stage.  Only once a new phase started could I look back and appreciate what had actually been quite nice about the previous stage.

But with the second child, I am finding not a sense of overwhelmedness, but of familiar joy.  Though these first months have rough moments, I also now know that these first months have parts that are especially easy.  An infant does not need as much entertainment now as a child much older needs.  An infant can be left to her own devices for a short time without having to worry that she will crawl or walk around and get into something.  An infant does not feel irritated by long cuddles – in fact, she quite enjoys them.  Of course, there are many things that are easier at age five than they are at three months.  But what I am finding as a second-time parent is that by knowing how each phase changes your life, for good and for ill, I feel a lot more calm about the transitions and appreciative of the little gifts along the way.

Courtesy of http://cjgoodreau.blogspot.com/2011/05/for-everything-there-is-season.html

Courtesy of http://cjgoodreau.blogspot.com/2011/05/for-everything-there-is-season.html

What this second child has gifted me with is the invitation to be present.  She is reminding me that life evolves and changes, and I can either fret about and rigorously prepare for that – or I can simply be present in the moment, enjoying what today has to offer.  She has given life to that passage from Ecclesiastes which says, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…” (3.1) 

Of course my daughter has opened up this verse to me about parenting, but I know that this verse has truth for each stage of our adult life too.  As I have been praying on this verse, I have been in conversation with God about what season I am in, and what purposes God has for me right now.  That is not an easy conversation.  Many of us are so busy planning and doing, that we rarely take a moment to breathe in this “season,” and thank God for it.  We only have the gifts and challenges of this season of life once.  What purpose has God put you to this season?  How might you find and celebrate the joys of this season today?

For everything there is a season…

18 Wednesday Sep 2013

Posted by jandrewsweckerly in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

busyness, change, church, Ecclesiastes, hope, possibilities, season

I have a parishioner is quite passionate about football.  Actually, I have several of those, but this one in particular schedules her meetings and plans around when a particular New York team will be playing.  There is no negotiation involved, unless you are simply willing to meet without her.  Not being a professional football fan myself, I do not entirely get it; but I find her resoluteness both amusing and oddly helpful.

Football season is not the only thing I find myself juggling these days.  This past week, we returned to our full Sunday schedule at church.  We went from a summer of one Sunday service and a leisurely coffee hour, to two Sunday services, a welcome back event in between, and a coffee hour afterwards.  After that, I had a church meeting and went to the hospital to bring communion to a parishioner.  There are times – usually around late May – when all I can think about is stepping into the slower Sundays of summer.  But by early September, I am eager to get back to this crazy schedule.

seasons

Image courtesy of http://inflowandbalance.blogspot.com/2009/11/importance-of-seasons.html

I think part of me longs for the change because everything else is changing – schools are gearing back up, sports are beginning, and coolness is in the air.  I also long for the change because the church feels more alive at this time.  The busyness is not tiring yet, but invigorating.  A summer’s worth of planning comes to fruition, and then the “so what?” begins.  I love seeing how changes are received, what works, and what needs tweaking.  I love seeing the pleasant surprise on people’s faces when a new change works out better than expected.  And I love the collective wisdom about making things work.

This time of life reminds me of the first verse of the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”  Like the seasons of creation change, sports seasons change, so too the church changes seasons.  I very much enjoyed the summer season in church these last few months.  But now, I am looking forward to the possibility that this season, this time, has to offer.  The possibilities are great, and my hopefulness is high.  I hope you will join us in this season at St. Margaret’s to see what this season brings you.

Recent Posts

  • On Thanksgiving and Imperfection…
  • Sermon – Matthew 24.36-44, Isaiah 2.1-5, Psalm 122, Romans 13.11-14, A1, YA, December 1, 2019
  • Sermon – Luke 23.33-43, P29, YC, November 24, 2019
  • On Birthdays and Blessings…
  • On God’s Love…

Archives

  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012

Categories

  • Sermons
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy