Thursday, February 23, 2023

Busy Times, But a Time for Everything. 
For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill and a time to heal;
a time to break down and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance;
5 a time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek and a time to lose;
a time to keep and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent and a time to speak;
8 a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 
I love to tell the story of my time at summer camp. When I was in middle school I attended Camp Mount Luther for the first time. My time at Mount Luther quickly became my favorite time of the year. I would anticipate it as it grew closer, and I would mourn the ending of that time as the summer came to a close. At camp, while singing songs together at meals and worship, playing field games, and camping out under the stars, God forged in me a deeper faith, created lasting relationships, and inspired a heart for ministry. Following my time as a camper, I worked there for seven summers (the last being 2022) and I met my husband there as well. 
Now as my time working there is over, I come back to this reminder from the writer of Ecclesiastes. This is one of my favorites to read during summer camp field worship under the stars, and every week at Mount Luther would end with our director saying: “and the writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us there is a time for everything under heaven” as we were sad to say goodbye to our camp community. Right now this is a reminder for me in a new and very busy season of life (teaching coaching, studying, etc.) that there is a time for everything, and God will make everything beautiful in God’s own time. 
Anne Gates