Lessons From A Calendar

The definition of a calendar is a system for measuring and accounting for time. Like chapters in a story it's divided up into days, weeks, months, and years.

Even though this is the fourth Sunday morning in a row I've woken up to rain we did get a gift this week and were able to get in two or three days of farming.

December in Iowa is generally cold. All we heard about this week on the news is climate change and what humans are going to do about it. Our planet has been through at least one flood. Folks say we had an ice age. People interested in the old days are still digging up mammoth bones in our county meaning there used to be more livestock here than just hogs and cattle. If our climate is changing it's the hand of God and not the hand of man. 

The Bible promises us "as long as the earth remains there will be seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night." Genesis 8:22 That verse kind of describes a calendar doesn't it. 

So in between the extracurricular activities this week we were able to get in some preparation for next year's seedtime.

There is a day on a calendar that rolls around every year that is special to us and that is the day we were born. These two neat folks share the same day. Happy Birthday Jackson and Glenda.

Two years ago yesterday I was dozing at Virgil's when I got a call from Kurt that he and Emily were parents. A couple hours later I received another call that Jackson was being taken by ambulance to Blank Hospital in Des Moines with blood problems. Two calendars later Jackson is a healthy, happy, little guy.  

So much has happened in those last two calendars. Solomon says in Ecclesiastics that we seldom have time to look back because God keeps us occupied with the gladness of our hearts.

Yet as we look forward to our next calendar we sometimes have concerns. My mind has been going overtime on so many fronts.

Working in the county south of us helps me keep things in perspective. And what does God require of us? It's on my office wall as a reminder. "Act justly, show mercy, and walk humbly with our God." Micah 6:8

Are we promised life will never break down? Of course not, and there are many dates on our calendars that are tough. Often we feel broke down and not sure what to do or how to fix things.

We can look back on events of our calendars. However we can't go back, so as we write our life's story moving forward let's make it as productive and interesting as possible with God's help. Have a good week.