DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION? part 2, conclusion
image courtesy of photobucket.com
After too many weird incidents and accidents all happening on one day, I knew it was all more than coincidence. It was another lesson in life coming my way. Would it be subtle, or would it be delivered like a freight train? Either way it had my attention.
It seemed as though God was reminding me of my past. Sure I’d been forgiven, even blessed beyond my own comprehension, but the little bit of wisdom I’d gained the hard way led me to feel God telling me there was a disconnect between my past life and my current one.
The bridge to my past I’d left in the fog and wanted to keep it that way; hazy and difficult to see.
I didn’t build the bridge to nowhere on purpose. I moved on, God led me to new places. He opened my heart and mind to true enlightenment. I had traded danger and thrill in the flesh for true peace and joy in my spirit.
The problems for all of us in this life are the same… We can’t change our spots. Sure we can cover them with fancy clothes and lives, even intellect for misdirection, but in the end the spots are still there. (metaphorical in terms of human nature).
The spots don’t wash off. Funny thing about those spots that we try to eliminate or hide is that we all have them. Sure some are different than others, some are bigger, different colors or in different areas, but we all have them.
It’s easy to look at the difference in spots and judge and even ridicule others for the differences, but that doesn’t make ours go away. In fact, it grows and multiplies the spots we have.
I was clearly awakened by the physical signs God had allowed to take place in my small world.
As I remembered the past, the skeletons reminded me of a reckless life. The wisdom and age now on this side of the bridge and of those two lives left me with the perfect 20/20 hindsight and too many woulda-coulda-shoulda’s.
The next morning after that eventful day, I awoke to a video from a good friend. I was still contemplating and pondering such a weird, different day before. I knew some reconciliation was approaching to tie the two vastly different lives I’ve led together.
The video was a story of a dad with four sons. The dad, in an effort to teach his sons a lesson about judging things, sent his sons to observe a pear tree. He sent one in the winter, one in the spring, one in the summer, and one in the fall.
After each son had observed the tree, the dad gathered his sons together and had them share what they had observed. The first son described an ugly, twisted branched tree. The second son described a tree with many buds and great promise.
The third son disagreed and described a tree with blossoms and sweet smell; he observed it to be a thing of gracefulness. The last son disagreed with all of them. This son described a ripe tree drooping with fruit, full of life and the promise of fulfillment.
The dad shared with his sons how they were all right. They had witnessed different seasons in the life of the pear tree. The dad went on to explain to his sons how they shouldn’t judge a tree or a person by one season of their life.
The father wisely pointed to the fact that only an entire life could be used to make a judgment on a pear tree or a person. I understood a little more deeply in my soul that God was measuring me the way the world should, by a lifetime, not just a season. I also felt the conviction to measure others in that same God-given light.
What settled into my soul as a lesson from God was that weird day, and how it pointed to the winter of my life. That winter was just a season of my life, it couldn’t speak to the awesome power of God and His potential harvest.
The twisted, bent, grim, and lonely season of our winter is our choice to try to live a life outside of God and His will.
We are all the same tree we were born. Ultimately, God is the judge of our lives and He’s given us the soil and water to live a life with more than the promise of Spring, or even the gracefulness of Summer. We have the opportunity to live our entire life in the Fall of fulfillment in Him.
Those bitter Winters are the bridges that God used for us to cross over and look back on, to gain wisdom in the seasons of His Amazing Grace…
click here to see the video The Seasons In Life
Sunday, August 21, 2011 @ 10:13 pm
Wow. I felt like you were writing a chapter from my own journal. I too was in a winter season – I even blogged on the different seasons about 2 years ago now – because I was still in a winter one myself. How different my writing and journal is from 2 years ago after going through a personal loss and emotional heartache involving a much loved friend. I agree with you – we all go through seasons of change and we don’t learn anything in the spring and summer of our lives – it is in the winter where the true lessons of loss, sadness, regret and pain find it’s root – and something is planted there deep in our hearts – if we allow it to make us better instead of bitter. The lessons there when it is dark and cold – with no hope in sight – is where we hear God speak to us – and not just speak – but SHOUT out through the tragedy of our lives. This is what I learned – it made me better – it made me stronger – more patient and more empathetic to those in a rough spot of failure and difficulty. I learned there are no “pat answers” for some things – and that there are no answers either – and the saying “it is what it is” rings true for me – as I know I will never have any answer for what went down for me. But it’s okay. God did not abandon me – even though I thought it was the end of the world and that my heart would break from sadness. I just had to hang on until spring – and then all was well. Thanks Floyd – for speaking my language and really getting it.
Monday, August 22, 2011 @ 7:08 am
“Better instead of bitter.” Well said, all things really come down to perspective of life. What we find in God’s perspective is always comfort, wisdom, peace and joy. T’hanks Cindy.
Monday, August 22, 2011 @ 9:28 am
I like that story about the tree! It is so hopeful, for my outlook on myself as well as how I see others. Very beautiful.
Monday, August 22, 2011 @ 9:43 am
Thanks Helen. You just reminded me that I was going to include the link to that video. I’ll try to go back and add it, I think you’d really like it.
Monday, August 22, 2011 @ 5:54 pm
There are times in live when you revolve and come back to winter again! WOW that is not good, but praise the Lord, we can find a new spring, summer and fall. I like the story of the tree and the photos are beautiful in the video.
Monday, August 22, 2011 @ 7:45 pm
Thanks Hazel. Yeah the timing for me to see this was all God. I too am thankful for the power of God to live in the fall of the fruit in our lives.
Monday, August 22, 2011 @ 6:37 pm
The analogy of one’s life to the seasons of a pear tree is easy to understand and grasp. And those seasons can be reversed from a beautiful spring tree ready to bear fruit to a winter twisted looking tree, same as one’s life.
One’s life can start out with great potential and turn to twisted challenges, but I believe that’s what God intends … a life full of different seasons. Seasons that allow each of us to pick and chose and that’s where the analogy differs, the pear tree has no choice. God allowed you choices, you chose them, not him. Thank God for getting your attention, allowing you to have choices, but give yourself a pat on the back for making
the right ones. Bt
Monday, August 22, 2011 @ 7:51 pm
Thanks BT. That’s a good point. i did choose my seasons, but glad for the opportunity to live a life of peace and joy beyond this world. I have to be careful not to give myself too many pats on the back, with my personality, the next thing you know I might think a little too much of myself! I hear what your saying. Thanks.
Monday, August 22, 2011 @ 8:01 pm
We all have our seasons and everyone makes mistakes, but we all make different mistakes. And here’s a sobering thought: The personality we have when we are whisked into His presence will be the one we have in our heavenly home. It doesn’t get changed after the fact.
Monday, August 22, 2011 @ 9:25 pm
I guess it’s not all bad after all! I guess you recognized the video? Thanks Lenna. Those were a few weird days there… Thanks for the support. It is appreciated.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011 @ 7:20 pm
Floyd, this is inspiring. I love the idea that we’re examined as a whole, not only by our seasons. This last year was my hardest since the whole Jesus interruption. I’d hate to be judged by my attitudes, cynicism and blah blah blah that I’ve definitely been trying to fight off lately because I know that better seasons have happened and better are on their way. Wonderful, and I’m glad you tied it in to your own experience.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011 @ 8:52 pm
Thanks Jake, when God is speaking to me, I’ve learned to listen. Not because I’m smart, just catching on, if you know what I mean.
Hey you’re supposed to be on vacation! Take a break my friend, we’ll be here when you get back!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011 @ 7:49 pm
Thanks for this reminder. We can’t always judge someone by what they’ve done in the past. It’s all about grace isn’t it?
Tuesday, August 23, 2011 @ 8:56 pm
Yeah, it sure is about grace. I need to remind myself so that I too extend forgiveness and grace as well as I can in this flesh. Thanks Amy.
Monday, October 24, 2011 @ 7:56 pm
I love Ecclesiastes 3:1-14 – “There is a time for…”; I see myself in every season. My favorite part is in verse 14 – “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 people will fear.”
Most people are usually shocked when I share my testimony. They think I’m kidding when I say they wouldn’t like the me I used to be. Many seasons had to come and go to get me to this point in my life. 1 Samuel 16:7 – “God doesn’t look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart.” Thank you, Jesus!
Monday, October 24, 2011 @ 10:08 pm
I too see myself in every season. Not surprisingly I love those verses as well. I also try to not look at the outside. I do look deep into eyes trying to see the heart, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Great scripture quotes… My guess is that you were always honest, whatever season of your life. That’s one of the most prized traits I can think of.