Goodbye August

Another August is ready to pass. Goodbye days of lazy summer, sun tea from the porch, the fragrance of freshly mowed grass, the bang of the screen door, sailboats on the lake, and playtime on the beach.
The days of scorching hot baseball games have been replaced by cool football nights. Sweet corn stands will soon be pumpkin wagons.

Old Faithful

The end of August reminds me of all the month's activities and memories made. What a blessing it is to look back on good times, new experiences, and love that was shared.

Solomon reflected on his life in the book of Ecclesiastes. He wrote about his personal experiences and those he observed. He wrote about searching for happiness, the emptiness of wealth and success, the rewards of work, the certainty of death, and where to find true wisdom. He considers all that he saw and heard and learned and he shares this revelation.

"I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all," (Ecclesiastes 9:11 NIV)

Life isn't perfect. No one's is. There are stumbling spots and rotten apples, confusing turmoils and great kite-flying days. There are losses and surpluses, highlights and hindsights, routines and shambles. Saturday morning starts a new month, a clean slate (is it isn't already filled in), a new period of your life. Take time to plan for the month and consider your goals, God's purpose for you, and His direction for your life. With God. Whatever your goals, include God. Solomon discovered how important God's presence was in his life. We can, too.