A Time for Everything.

I was reflecting on the tremendous diversity of emotions that have come about in the past ten days and how transient this life on earth is. Solomon was correct to say, "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven. A time to give birth and a time to die..."(Eccl.3:1-2a). Last week a dear elderly saint passed away. Irma was 98 years old and she had attended the congregation I serve until the past 16 years when she moved to be near family after her husband passed away. She and her husband were one of the first people to take my wife and me along with our children (only two at the time) out for Sunday dinner shortly after we moved to our current place of ministry. That was almost 17 years ago. She was a fun loving wonderful woman who supported her pastor and family graciously. Indeed, her passing was actually a promotion as she joins her beloved Morris in heaven. But her death reminds us of the frailty of life, the brevity of life--even though she lived to be 98. A time to die. One week ago today the newest addition to our church family came into the world as a young couple in the church gave birth to their fourth child--a healthy bouncing baby boy. We are all overjoyed and realize that "Children are a gift from the Lord" (Ps.127). What a blessing to see new life and what a contrast with the death of Irma. One elderly person entering glory and a young new life starting out here on earth. Indeed, a time to give birth. While both death of a saint and birth of a child are celebrations they illicit slightly different emotions. While death of a believer is truly a celebration, especially when they have lived a long healthy life and do not suffer in death. But there is also sadness. The birth of a healthy child is nothing but joy. But each teach us of the brevity of life and of God's sovereignty. As the Psalmist says, "Lord make me to know my end, and what is the extent of my days, Let me know how transient I am" (Ps.39:4). The emotional roller coaster continued. Saturday April 27th our son Tyler graduated from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. It is all so very surreal. I went from the hospital room where a baby boy had been born on Monday to My own son's college graduation on Saturday and asked myself, "Where did all the time go between Tyler's birth and today?" Oh, I am thrilled to see our son doing so well, to have him finish his undergraduate degree in four years with a double major and to graduate with honors. What parent's wouldn't be pleased and praise God. We are excited that he is planning to continue his education by attending Law School and that he will be married this summer. What a joy to see your children growing up. But I am also sad. I was doing some exercises in the basement this morning on a sleeping mat with the name "Tyler Smith" written on it. This is the very same mat that our now 22 year old took to kindergarten to use for "rest time." Oh, I am so pleased to see him maturing, but there is a place in my heart that longs for the days when he dressed up like dad, we wrestled on the floor, played catch in the back yard, and read Bible stories together before bed. There is a time for everything, yet these times are not to be wasted but to be enjoyed, embraced, and reflected on so we can understand, "how transient I am." As I drove home from the college graduation my wife and my youngest daughter were sleeping in the van (loaded with my son and oldest daughter's college stuff) I shed some tears of sadness because I realized that what is gone is forever gone except in my memories. I cannot turn back the clock--nor do I really want to, but I do truly miss the simplicity, the amount of time spent, the joy of those days. I don't really have any regrets from days gone by, but I do miss them. I also have such joy in my heart over the blessings of God's provision, protection, guidance, and goodness over these years. I am coming to grips with "what is the extent of my days" and realizing the value of counting my blessings, enjoying the moments that come, reminiscing with fondness days gone by, and living now for the eternal things that really matter. There is time for everything under the sun. So when those things come let us live to the fullest. Warmly, Steve