Falling Forward and Facing Backward: The Transition From Autumn To Winter

It doesn't seem that long ago that I was sweating. This year has been a very warm one. It didn't really snow that much. It never really got cold. It did however get very hot and humid. Saturday night we will once again make the transition from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time. This signals to me that we are also transitioning from Autumn to Winter.

The days will now get even shorter. It will be cold. At least that's the hope of some. I'm not a fan of hot, humid weather. Frankly hot, humid weather increases the chance of severe weather. We had a few times when we held our breath when a hurricane formed in the Atlantic. Hearing about the devastation in Texas, Louisiana and Florida was enough to twist my stomach and set my heart aching. Some days I admittedly just felt numb. I didn't know how to handle it. I prayed and God answered. My friends were spared. Some will have to pick up the pieces of their lives but they have the resources they need.

Reflecting on the time change....I always get confused. Is it Fall Back and Spring Forward or Fall Forward and Spring Back? Lately I felt that I have been falling forward towards a future I never would have dreamed of when I was younger. The fact that there is a growing interest in historical preservation is amazing. I sometimes feel like I'm facing backward because the changes are happening too rapidly for me to process. The transition is scary. What will happen tomorrow? Will I still have this platform? Only the Lord knows....

There is a New Day Coming

After everything that has happened over the past two months it is hard to put things in perspective. Yet I know I must. I do have a lot to be thankful for at this time. I can be thankful for my family and friends. I can be encouraged that this night won't last forever...even though it seems like it. I can praise God that he has spared my Aunt Jeanette and Uncle Gary from the fires raging in Santa Rosa, CA. I can praise God that he has allowed me to continue to post these writings freely.

There is a new day coming. It will be like no other day. We will have to go through some tough trials before we see that new day. For some it will be a day of disaster and eternal hell. The signs are there for anyone to read. We need not be afraid to tell others the Good News. He is coming.

Every day I see the signs. I wonder if this will be the day of his return. Some days admittedly I fear that I will be found unworthy to be counted as his child. I struggle with the concept of holiness. I know that I can't be holy. I need God's help to be holy in his eyes. I want to be ready for that new day when God will make all things new.

When the pressure of life gets me down I focus on that new day. I imagine the streets of gold and the beautiful jewels. I realize that the pearls on the gates fit because pearls are the result of pressure. Lord, help me bend to your will and not my own. It is too easy to be stubborn and set in my ways. I want to go your way and trust you under the pressure of life. Thank you for molding me to your image.

Unintended Circumstances and Weighty Matters

You may be thinking to yourself about the meaning of the unintended circumstances. With everything that has been going on lately it can be overwhelming to even think about what could happen. You know that there have been strong forces trying mightily to "blow" you off course. You may be thinking to yourself that you never expected to be dealing with so much. It has been too much to handle at one time. Those unintended circumstances loom in front of you.

I know that I've probably seem to be talking nonsense to some. It is those weighty matters that concern me. Everything that has gone on has got me thinking about freedom and what it means. Technology has slowly but surely taken some freedoms away from us. You may not think so. You may think that technology has allowed us to have more freedom. It has. We have the freedom to connect with people worldwide now. We have the freedom to express our opinions. Yet the more "freedom" technology gives us the more it takes away. I know that doesn't make any sense.

I recently visited a food store and was very frustrated. There were no prices on the product or on the shelf below. All I saw was those scan codes....so maddening....did they expect everyone to scan the codes? It scared me in a way too. With no prices and no way to pay for food via cash, that food store was promoting discrimination. They in fact were using the electronic payment system as a way to bar certain people from purchasing food.

Sweetgreens is a perfect example of this type of discrimination. They stopped accepting cash purchases at all their restaurants in 2016. Instead they only accept cards or the Sweetgreen app. Yes, I get the fact that they are trying to keep their employees safe. Yet this type of discrimination bars people nevertheless. It says that cash isn't important and the unintended circumstance is that these people aren't welcome. The implications are staggering when you really think about it.

It is way too easy now with the newer technology to bar certain people from jobs, places, food and water. The weighty matter is that by eliminating cash you are essentially forcing people to "go your way or the highway." I don't see any good coming out of this. Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if something really sinister happened.

I do have to keep reminding myself that God is in control. He is. I thank God that he is...