Autumnal Equinox

Today is the first day of autumn. You know as beautiful as autumn is, I never looked forward to this season. Mostly because it meant winter was around the corner. I love spring and summer because I'm a naturally a cold person, so bring on the warm weather. And I just don't like to be cold. But we had a pretty hot summer, so I have to say I'm truly enjoying the coming of autumn. I think as I've aged, I've gotten a far better appreciation of each season. There is a purpose for every single one. And since Daddy and I are pretty much heading into the autumn of our lives, I think I'd better embrace it.

With autumn comes the gorgeous change in color, cooler nights and pumpkins. In the human body with the autumn season comes gray hair, wrinkles, the beginning of age spots, a change in metabolism, new aches each day and some sagging in areas that used to be ... well, not sagging. None of that sounds even remotely appealing to you at your young age. Honestly, it's not really appealing to us either. But it's the nature of things.

You young ones are in your summer. It's the prime of your lives. The world is fresh and beautiful and exciting and filled with new experiences and adventure, especially as you are about to marry and begin one of the greatest adventures. And you should delight in it as much as you can. A friend said to me recently about young marrieds, "Buy anything you want and go anywhere you want before you start having kids, because their needs will come before your wants after that." And there is truth in that. It costs a lot to raise children and for some folks causes them to set some limits for their sake. So it is a philosophy that works for many couples who choose to wait to start their families. Personally, we didn't do that because we couldn't have bought whatever we wanted or gone where ever we wanted anyways. And we didn't see our children as limiting. For us that was adventure! Regardless, this is the time to truly delight in your young, active and typically healthy bodies and make some wonderful memories.

You will see spring in your children and winter in your grandparents. Each season has so many blessings and brings so much joy - challenges, too. So truly embrace each as it comes ... in the calendar year as well. Breath in what God has created for your enjoyment. Delight in each change as it occurs. Worship Him for what He has designed as your environment. Pick apples, have campfires, select a pumpkin, examine fallen leaves, snuggle in a sweater as the temperature drops, collect pecans, catch a football and enjoy the autumn harvest. "To everything there is a season," Ecclesiastes 3:1 says. Now it's time for the autumnal equinox ... ironically and pleasantly, for us, in more ways then one.

Discussion: What is your favorite season? What do you love about fall? Name some people you know and love and say what season of their life they are in.

Prayer: We give you glory Father for every season of our year and our life. May we fully enjoy all your prepared for us and praise your name for being so gracious and generous with us. We thank you in Jesus name, Amen.

You Get More Out Of It

The year before Ayla was born a movie came out called Parenthood. It starred Steve Martin, Mary Steenbergen, Keanu Reeves, Rick Moranis, Jason Robards, Dianne Wiest and many more. It's a classic movie with quotable line after quotable line in its dialogue. And it looks at many different, goofy things about family. It is a movie that will make you laugh, question and cry. It's precious.

Many scenes are favorites, but there one in particular that really hit home for us. It is a scene later in the movie when it seems like everything is going wrong for the lead character, Gil Buckman: job, family, extracurricular activities, parenting skills. It is at this moment that Grandma walks in. She's been portrayed at this point in the movie as having a little bit of dementia and a number of jokes are made at her expense. She walks in during the middle of an argument Gil is having with his wife. Grandma interrupts and says, "You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster ... Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride! I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it." Gil patronizes her as she leaves the room, but his wife completely gets the sweet woman's allegory. Life is a rollercoaster. Fun, thrilling, exhilarating, scary, fast, rickety, wild and - if you're on the Thunderbolt in Kennywood in West Mifflin, PA - partially in the dark. There is a lot of screaming, laughter, nausea, increased heart rate ... talking about life now, not the roller coaster.

It is that way. Sometimes it can be the most amazingly beautiful, happy, perfect time and at others terrifying, frustrating, unfair and complicated. But that is life. It is no merry-go-round. Or at least it doesn't stay that way for long.

You sweet ones have had so much happen to you in your young lives. You've seen the things mentioned above. And I would love to tell you that after you marry that whole "happily ever after" thing comes true, but the fact is, that's not the case. There are going to be some not-so-happy times. Matter of fact Scripture tells us there will definitely be suffering. 1 Peter 4:12-13 says, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." Romans 5:3-4 says: "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." As Grandma explains above in preferring the roller coaster to the merry-go-round, "You get more out of it."

So suffering will happen, but it's how you react to those times that matters. It will grow you, but ultimately it will lead to the very last thing mentioned in that Roman's verse above ... hope.

I think that is the blessing of being a Christian in marriage. Because you know you're not going through life alone. And I'm not talking about having each other. You are on this journey with, and to, Christ. He will "never leave you or forsake you," Deut. 31:6 says. And in Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." 

There is a poem by Mary Stevenson called "Footprints" which she wrote in 1936. It tells of a man dreaming of walking the beach with God and seeing his journey in life. At the lowest points in his life he doesn't see two sets of prints, but rather one and wonders why the Lord has abandoned him in his time of need. The Lord sets him straight and tells him where he sees one set of prints is when the Lord was carrying him.

How appropriate that the two of you are currently planning on marrying on the beach, a place where you will see your footprints behind you down the aisle just after you are named husband and wife, side-by-side. Know that the Father is walking with you. Keep your eyes on Him always. Lean on Him. Ask him to guide your steps. And know that wherever you go and whatever twists and turns, climbs, plummets, loops, dark tunnels, ridiculous speeds and abrupt stops you go through on this rollercoaster, He is along for the ride and has you in His tender care.

Discussion: Tell about some of the actual roller coasters you have ridden. Tell about some roller coaster moments in your life. Would you prefer the merry-go-round?

Prayer: Lord God, we have no idea what tomorrow brings. We pray as we go on this journey together, that you are right there with us. That we constantly go to you, not just in the tough times, but in the joyous moments as well. Help us to grow through our experiences and through it all glorify Your name. In Jesus who carry us, Amen.