September 3rd

Seasons

To my dear TFMC family,

As far as seasons go September has almost always felt like a month that marks a clear end to things, and a clear beginning to things.  It’s the month where the lazy days of summer abruptly end, and when the routines and rhythms begin.  It’s a month where the playfulness and possibility of summer ends, and when the structure returns, whether that be to work or to school.  It’s also a month where we begin to notice more significantly the shifting of the seasons, from the heat and humidity of summer, to the cool dampness of autumn.

This year, like many previous Septembers, comes with learning a new routine and rhythm, and while new routines frustrate me, mostly because it takes me a bit to get used to them, I know that this will soon pass.  Like many seasons, they come and they go.  It’s a good reminder that much in life is temporary.

This past summer we renovated our basement.  That meant that all the furniture and things that were downstairs had to move upstairs.  And while it was fine for a few weeks, there came the point when both Christine and I looked at each other and clearly said to one another, were ready for this to end.  At that moment it felt like things wouldn’t return to normal, but they did, the ‘construction’ season passed, and we are settling, happily,  into a new basement.

God reminds us, throughout scripture, that seasons come and go.  One season needs to end before another season begins.  It may not occur on our time, but seasons do change.  A season does not remain forever.

The bright summer days will lead to the dusky days of autumn.  The beauty of the autumn leaves will lead us to the starkness of winter.  And the chill of winter will take us to the resurrection of spring.  From the new life of spring, we will be led to the brightness of summer again.

In the same way, infants become toddlers, who become children, who become tweens, and teens, and youth and young adults.  Adulthood carries with it it’s own set of seasons too, schooling, the beginnings of careers, the middle of careers, and the end of carriers, retirement.  And the season of retirement too has it’s own movements.  We are constantly changing, moving and shifting through seasons.

And in these shifting seasons of life, one thing that we can hold to for certain is the steadfastness of God.  Whether we notice it or not, God promises to be present; to be near.  And we know from scripture that God’s promises are kept.  God remains faithful, leading, guiding, inspiring, caring, and loving.  God moves with us through these seasons.

As songwriter Pete Seeger and the band The Byrds remind us, riffing off of Ecclesiastes, “To everything (Turn, turn, turn), There is a season (Turn, turn, turn)...”

Yours,

Craig Janzen Neufeld, Pastor