Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Happy New Year!

With a new year comes many joys and many trials. May God bless your new year and may it be one of joy and opportunity!

I think the following is fitting to describe a new year:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-17 - A Time for Everything
(New International Version)

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account. And I saw something else under the sun:
In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

I thought in my heart, "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed."


May God grant you the wisdom this year to know what time and season you are in each moment of each day and to react accordingly and be content to learn in the trials He will give you and rejoice and give Him praise for the blessings He shows you!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Janet...

Enjoying your posts about Fort and your experiences there.

The Ecclesiastes passage was prominent in Christian's office at Aviano - he had it enlarged, framed and right at eye level each day when he worked at his computer. It is good to know that what we sometimes take as drudgery is one of God's greatest blessings. Despite the fact that He has put "eternity in our heart," we don't often really understand God's ways. But we can have meaning and direction just by doing things well, with enthusiasm and gratitude, as a gift from God.

Thanks again!

Phil Skoglund