Different things excite different

people. At the different times in our lives we are focused on certain issues

that consume much of our time. We are concerned

about this, and that, and at the time, these things seem soo important to

us. Then as time goes by, we often realize that those issues and situations

that we spent so much energy on really didn't matter much in the big

picture of life.

I like the way the Bible explains

these musings as "seasons" of

our lives. The thing I like about this definition is that I believe it is

the best way to explain our lives. If they are divided into seasons, then

we can realize that we do not need to fear, or to have anxiety as to what

is happening to us right now. In other words, we are in a season of our lives.

I love that long passage in Ecclesiastes

that states, "For everything

there is a season," a time for this, and a time for that. This, to me,

is so well-stated; that it allow us to be content that whatever is happening

to us is for that season. In accepting our seasons" we don't have

to want or worry, but just realize it is for that moment and for that time

in our personal histories.

I remember when we lived in my

beloved Alaska. The summers were magnificently beautiful. The sunny blue-bird

days were the most pleasant weather you could

imagine. We would be wearing short-sleeve shirts and go down to the river

banks and be catching six- and seven-pound gorgeous salmon, Dolly Varden trout,

and huge monster Northern Pike. These settings were picture-book idyllic and

comforting. When you would experience a summer day like that you would think

that it could never end. In fact, to further entice you into this "forever" mode,

the beautiful sunny days would last for 24 hours and never get dark. I can

remember fishing so long that I would eventually wear down and begin to get

tired. I would look at my watch and realize we had been fishing for twenty-four

straight hours and it was 3 a.m. Is that a fisherman's dream or what?

Then a "seasonal" phenomenon would begin to happen. It was usually

the last week of moose season, which was around Sept. 15-20. You would still

be in shirt sleeves taking in the gorgeous fall leaf changes and the jet motors

on your boat would begin to get clogged with leaves. I am always at the same

place on the planet during this seasonal moment in history, and that is with

Bill O'Halloran and crew with North Country River Charters somewhere

on a river bank. You would notice that the 24 hours of daylight were beginning

to get back to a seasonal normal day.

God created a special "seasonal" phenomenon

called the equinox. The equinox is the positioning of the sun to where it

either adds or subtracts

7 minutes a day of daylight. In the middle of the summer, at the right equinox

seasonal moment, you would have a complete 24 hours of daylight. In fact,

during this time, you would have to put dark coverings on your windows to

keep out the sunlight so you could sleep. Now I can sleep anywhere and at

anytime but I do have to have it dark to do so. If I can just shade my eyes,

I can go out like a light even if we are sleeping on rocks.

Then, while we are still in shirt

sleeves, with a gorgeous blue-bird day facing us, another seasonal phenomenon

would take place. We used to call it "the

hawk." The hawk was always in the air, and flying low and slow, but for

sure, heading your way. No matter how much wonderful fun you were having,

and how much of your clothes you had peeled off to take in this sunny splendor

and very warm temperatures, the hawk was inbound. You would see his first

appearance on the high mountain tops. It was just a beautiful seasonal dusting

of the mountain tops but there, none the least. It may burn off a bit during

the day but then the next morning, there he was again, with a new seasonal

dusting but a little whiter, and possibly a little lower down the mountain.

This was the seasonal sign that the hawk was headed your way. Then one morning,

as if he were diving for a field mouse, or a baby duck, he would swoop down

and dust your tent and leave the earth covered with a new season.

Now a new season had begun. The

hawk was upon us, but not to do us harm. This was the season that separated

the men from the boys, the good marriages

from the bad ones, the wonderful possibilities from the failed ones. Winter

made you or broke you because you had to spend a lot of time together. If

you embraced the hawk, he was your ally and friend, if you let him get you

down, he would devour you. We choose to embrace him. I have told this story

and I will continue to tell it. I bought an old wooden trapper's sled

with a stand up "hold on for dear life" bar. It had metal skagg

runners on its wooden runners. This helped keep it in the "ruts" while

you were flying through the snow. I then purchased an old John Deer snowmobile.

I had some of the best family times of my life loading up our young family

onto the sled and snowmobile. We would put a sweater on our little dog, Chico,

and then all the clothes we could wear and head for the river. Before we would

begin to dress for the afternoon ride through the woods, I would glance at

the large outdoor thermometer. If it was minus 20 degrees below zero or colder

I would cancel the trip, but if it was minus 20 degrees or warmer, off we

went. I had discovered that less than 20 degrees below zero, is just too cold.

We would come up to the river and

the kids would squeal, "Faster, Daddy,

faster," because I had trained them over and over to stay off the frozen

river. We would fly across so fast that if the ice would have begun to crack

we would have flown over it. Then God's seasonal wonderland unfolded.

We would encounter moose and beautiful snow-laden trees and watch the headlight

glisten in the snow. We would finally reach the ski lodge where there would

be hot chocolate awaiting the family. We would quickly thaw out and enjoy

the warmth of the fireplace and the skiers.

Whatever season you are in right now or seasonal situation, realize that

it is a season and it is not to be feared or to be anxiety producing even

if you have created the season. There is an end to the season and another

one is out there and heading your way. God bless you. Embrace it and find

where God fits into it. You have many choices.

have the metal framing almost complete. This is a building season for us.

I await the first worship service in the new building. More on that later!

You must come for our first service hopefully in the late summer or early

fall.

(Dr. Knox Herndon is the pastor of His House Community Church (SBC). Rev.

Greg Mausz is Sr. Assoc. Dr. Lydia Herndon is the Sunday School superintendent,

Bible study coordinator and teacher. The church is on Ga. Highway 85 South

near Senoia, a mile south of Ga. Highway 16, on the right just past the fire

station. Visitors welcome. Church office and prayer line 770-719-2365. E-mail

address is [email protected]. Web address is www.hishousecommunitychurch.com.

Also visit www.ddaytravelingmuseum.com.)