I think that the older I get time seems to speed up. Where did the summer go? Can you believe it is already November? The trees are dropping the last of the colorful leaves. I have had to scrape the frosty windshield of the car a dozen times. The daylight continues to grow shorter.
In just a few weeks, most of us will gather at a table with family and friends to celebrate harvest time although only a few of my friends and family actually plant a garden these days. As we draw near to Thanksgiving, we do want to thank our creator for the many blessings we experience every day. Gratitude is always necessary.
A few days after Thanksgiving we will begin our journey of Advent beginning Sunday the 27th. We celebrate this season of anticipation of the Hope, Love, Joy, Peace and Light that we find in Christ Jesus. This is the perfect time for us to reflect on our busy year, our accomplishments, our successes, our challenges and evaluate what we can do to improve and approach life’s challenges differently.
What might God be calling us to change in our routines and habits? Maybe God is calling us to a new task? Maybe we need to invest a little more of our energy and time in the work of the church? While I sometimes grumble about the short days, frost and limited solar warmth, I do enjoy the changing seasons and beauty that each bring. Each season offers new opportunities of discovery and growth that we can draw upon to become stronger and more vibrant in the days to come.
Both my grandmothers taught me to be thankful at all times. Thankful for the breath within my lungs, food within the refrigerator and kitchen cupboards, warm clothing, and heat within our home. In addition, we are to be thankful for creation and God’s engagement in it and our lives. We are to be patient and prepare for God’s call. Gram said that our faith is strengthened in our waiting. We must trust God to give us what we need, when we need it, and in the perfect way that will bless our lives with the fruits of the Spirit.
As you live out these last two months of 2022, be especially mindful of God’s engagement in your lives. Reflect on what you need to accomplish before the year ends and what God is calling you to do in the new one. What can you do to bless the Lord and creation?
May God bless you with an amazing abundance of love and joy… and may you bless others in your journey of life and faith.
Northeast Fellowship 