This past week, my 5 year old son has been excited to help his dad rake and load up leaves from our yard to the back of our truck, multiple times. To the degree that he even has taken some of his free playtime to load up a good sized pile on a tarp, which is more productive than his other outdoor play pursuits, which usually ends up with something broken. Lately, however, I do not share his same enthusiasm for the task at hand, other than just trying to get the job done, so we don’t have to mess with it anymore, which is in contrast to his obsession. I am also reminded that just like raking leaves, there is a season for most everything. He is excited about doing this task because it is new and exciting for him, he is learning to work and help dad in a somewhat productive way, and its easy to see a change after we get the job done. I try not to be too critical of the quality of his work, because after all, I probably didn’t do much better when I was Five. What things did you used to have a passion for that now seems like a chore?
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Psalm 1:1-6
This past week, I also saw someone post about an old edition Psalter, or book containing a collection of Psalms. I questioned whether I would benefit from a book of the Psalms vs just reading them from my bible, but I could see it being more convenient, especially if you had a daily routine with them. There have been times in my life where I regularly/daily read a Psalm, Proverb, and New Testament chapter, and I have gotten out of that routine lately. But my mind is tending toward the lessons in the Psalms and Proverbs and me relating those often to my kids, who may or may not register with what I say. At least it helps me in the process and is not totally futile, I hope. What routines in the Word have proven most helpful for your daily life?
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. Isaiah 40:8
I was reading through this first Psalm and thought the comparison a little ironic to this past week in my life. There is a lot of change we are all dealing with with the seasons switching, and almost daily weather variation. We are all becoming more aware of the changes necessary with the Covid pandemic, and we know more people affected as well. People are getting more opinionated and vocal about their approval or consent of new mandates and regulations. A longtime Christian brother living in SE Iowa texted me this past week he nearly died the night before being transferred to an ICU in Des Moines because he couldn’t breathe. Another good friend of mine had a relative who was 38 and passed away in Cedar Rapids, So it seems to be getting a little more real when it hits closer to home. As my son grows up and I get older every day, I also realize I won’t be around forever, and I need to do what I can to make a difference in what I do and say to the next generation that will make a difference for another generation of those in the Kingdom, if we do not see it come in our own lifetime. May you find joy in His Word and His World as you go about your days.
Yours in Christ,
Clark
