“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 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 from embracing, 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.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 – 8
I hope everyone had a Happy New Year celebration. Whether you stayed home alone, were at a party with friends and family, a dinner out, or even went to bed early, I pray 2022 began in a way that honored who you are and how you wanted to bring in the new year.
We have a lot of hopes and dreams for 2022. We certainly hope that it is better than 2020 or 2021. We have lived through much these past 22 months. For some the Covid-19 pandemic has not disrupted your lives too much. It has been an inconvenience more than anything else. For others, especially for those who lost loved ones, the Covid-19 pandemic has been devastating. It has upended your life and changed everything as you once knew it. For all of us there is healing that needs to happen. I believe we all have experienced some form of PTSD! It could be mild where you find yourself getting irritated for no real reason. It could be severe, and you need counseling to help you work through all the feelings you have. But however, you need to heal from this pandemic, and we do all need some healing, please find the help you need. Don’t ignore your feelings, work through them, understand them, heal from them so you can continue to live your best life.
Which brings me to the passage in Ecclesiastes. I love beginning the new year reading this passage. It is a great reminder that there is a time for everything. Sometimes we need to laugh and dance and celebrate. Sometimes we need to cry, mourn, and heal. But as the writer of Ecclesiastes says, there is the right time for everything. The problem we have is in discerning when it is the right time and when it is not.
My prayer for you all, is that you will have God’s wisdom to discern when it is the right time for you. In the meantime, I offer this blessing:
“I wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. May we find peace, joy, and happiness far outweigh the difficulties. May we find our own way to live with Covid, which seems to be with us for the long haul. May we embrace kindness, offer empathy, and give freely of ourselves to all who are in our lives or come within our circle of influence. May God bless you abundantly and I hope you dance through life with joy in your hearts.”
Peace,
Pastor Beth
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