April 18, 2024
My beloved spoke words to me this week that cut me to the quick. I was minding my own business, not bothering anybody, when he announced, “I believe it’s time to take down the Christmas decorations.” I did not respond.
I hate this time of year: the un-decorating of all things Christmas. I love the colors, the lights, the tree and want the season to go on FOREVER! But, alas, it cannot. To be fair, and don’t tell my better half this: I knew it was time. While I’m not over it, most other reasonable people are. They’re forging ahead into Valentine’s Day, then St. Patrick’s Day, and Easter.
The un-decorating of Christmas reminds me of Ecclesiastes chapter three. It begins with, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” My Christmas season began the first week of November. It’s been a good run. Now we will begin something else.
There are not only seasons of the year, but also seasons of life, and even ministry. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 chronicles the stages in life. As we age, our focus and our passions change. I would venture to say that our spiritual gifts might change, as well. When our kids are smaller, we might be focused on children’s ministry. As they grow, our role could morph into helping with the youth group, etc. The younger you could love far away missions, while the older you could be passionate about Operation Christmas Child.
Ecclesiastes 3:2-3 are especially applicable since COVID: “A time to plant and a time to uproot. A time to tear down and a time to build.” So much has changed. We are planting seeds of the gospel, of course, but it seems that we are in a season of uprooting the past ways to do it. We could possibly be tearing down some old traditions and building new ones in their places.
Verse 4 relates to all of us, “A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” It seems there has been a dog year of heartbreak in 2022 and already 2023. There have been numerous times to weep and mourn. During the last 13 months, I can count at least eight people in my circle who have lost a spouse. Two weeks ago, a friend went to heaven earlier than we expected. She had valiantly fought cancer for several years. Last week, a 15-year-old treasure passed away, leaving an army of family and friends. It has been a time to weep around these parts lately. But the time to laugh is coming soon and then the time to dance.
Beginning a new season in life can be a little scary. The unknown is so, well, unknown. No matter what season we are in, God continues to be faithful. He is there helping us, guiding us, strengthening us, and sometimes shoving us to the next stage.
Ecclesiastes 3:7 is something I pray about daily: “A time to be silent and a time to speak.” It’s that whole quick-to-listen, slow-to-speak thing from James 1:19. When my beloved mentioned the un-decoration of Christmas, I didn’t say a word. But he was right.
The decorations are coming down this weekend.
