{"id":5403,"date":"2021-10-08T07:00:48","date_gmt":"2021-10-08T07:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.morgancolander.com\/?p=5403"},"modified":"2021-10-08T13:31:42","modified_gmt":"2021-10-08T13:31:42","slug":"hold-tighter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.morgancolander.com\/index.php\/2021\/10\/08\/hold-tighter\/","title":{"rendered":"hold tighter"},"content":{"rendered":"

I love Colorado for so many reasons, one of them being the weather.<\/span><\/p>\n

While some complain about the reality that in a matter of 24 hours we can go from sun, to rain, to hail, to snow, and back to sun, I find it endearing. It\u2019s fun. It\u2019s unpredictable. And it keeps you flexible.<\/span><\/p>\n

But more than that, you know it\u2019s only temporary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The hot summer days mean cooler weather is just around the corner. The rain storms never last long and the snow melts the next day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whatever the weather, it\u2019s only for a season…a few hours, a few days, or a few months.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And that brings me joy – to know I\u2019m not trapped in the current season forever and that change will come.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It also encourages me to relish in the seasons I love.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When May rolls around and we get that first day with temperatures in the low 70\u2019s, you better believe I\u2019m out basking in the sun because for the last six months I\u2019ve been waiting for a day like this.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But then when that first snow comes in late fall, you would think I\u2019d never seen a snowflake in my life. For me, it\u2019s tradition that on the first snowfall of the season to-do lists are replaced with hot chocolate and Christmas movies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The budding flowers in the spring make me grin. The fall colors in October make me swoon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Because each season is fleeting, I hold onto it more. I take it in. I try to appreciate it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And on the days I don\u2019t like the weather, I just wait a few minutes for it to change.<\/span><\/p>\n

The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that the weather isn\u2019t the only thing made up of seasons, our life is too.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There is a time for everything,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

and a season for every activity under the heavens:<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to be born and a time to die,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to plant and a time to uproot,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to kill and a time to heal,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to tear down and a time to build,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to weep and a time to laugh,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to mourn and a time to dance,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to search and a time to give up,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to keep and a time to throw away,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to tear and a time to mend,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to be silent and a time to speak,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time to love and a time to hate,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

a time for war and a time for peace.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8<\/span><\/p>\n

Our life is a compilation of different seasons. Seasons of financial success or financial distress. Marriage bliss or marriage turmoil. Expanding families or losing loved ones. Saying yes to new opportunities or saying no in search of rest. Health and wellness or fighting disease. Times of loneliness or times of budding relationships. The options are endless. The seasons are ever changing. Nothing is forever.<\/span><\/p>\n

And because of that, there are two important things we must remember.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, this too shall pass. If you are looking for change, it will come. The change may not come as soon as you want it to, but life won\u2019t be like this forever. And until that change comes, your Father is walking alongside you, giving you the strength needed to keep fighting, keep showing up, and keep going.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.\u201d <\/span><\/i>Isaiah 41:10<\/span><\/p>\n

Second, hold tightly to the seasons you love because they too are fleeting.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the greatest gifts given to me was the chance to teach second grade. Growing up I dreamed of being a teacher and when it finally came true I couldn\u2019t believe it. My time in the classroom was so sweet and wonderful. I loved every minute and never imagined it would end so soon. But after four years of teaching, my Father told me it was time to end that chapter and step into a new one. And now I find myself saying, \u201cHad I known that season was going to end so soon, I would have held tighter to the moments. I would have complained less and appreciated more. I would have slowed down to enjoy every moment rather than rush through the hours. I would have thanked my Father more rather than have taken the opportunity for granted.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When I find myself sitting at the dinner table with all the people I love, I do my best to take it all in. I try to put the phone down, forget the to-do list, and stop the hurry. Because right now dinner with my whole family is nothing out of the ordinary, but I know that one day I will look back and wish I had recognized that those moments were actually extraordinary.<\/span><\/p>\n

When I drive to church on Sunday mornings, I take time to thank my Father for the opportunity to lead worship that day. It was a dream I never imagined would come to fruition, but one I never want to take for granted. I never want to assume there will be a \u201cnext\u201d time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prior to the pandemic of 2020, traveling was something I loved. Now, after experiencing a season of it being taken away, traveling is something I cherish.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what I\u2019m trying to say – relish in the seasons you love.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Appreciate the job you have. Find joy in the energy of your young kids. Be good stewards of the time you have with your spouse. Be wise with the financial success He has given you. Love the people around you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Right now I\u2019m sure you are at the beginning, middle, and end of many seasons, despising some and loving others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, take heart. Just as the Colorado weather is ever changing, so is your life. He has it all sorted out and it\u2019s our privilege to just ride it out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And please, hold a little tighter to the good things, because what might feel ordinary right now will one day classify as extraordinary.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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