'tis the season.

Seasons come and go. Some are full of happiness and excitement when all is well. Some are full of sorrow and disappointment when all is not well.

I've seen lots of seasons and have learned to accept them as they come along. It's the stuff life is made of.

Yet, there is hope. We don't live in hopelessness. The sun rises every morning even when its cloudy and we can't see it. Without hope, the Bible tells us the heart is sick. There is nothing worse than living without hope.

Life can bring about some tough stuff. I haven't written in awhile because I have been dealing with some tough stuff and I have been needed as a mom. There have been moments when I cannot take hearing about one more person's hurting heart. But then I remember about hope.

Hope means that something good might come of this predicament we are in. It means that despite being kinda stuck in the world with all its moth-eaten and rust-corroded problems that leave us doing the same things everyday to keep on going is that God loves us so much He keeps placing sure footing in front of us -- even when we've screwed up. Hard to resist that kind of love.

There is an old song that says, "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow". Whether you are a church goer or not, it is as sure as gravity. We don't see gravity but we see the affects of it. We don't see God but we see the affects of Him. The Master Designer created this world and all that is in it. Certainly, He knows all things. He sees the end from the beginning. Something.. someone bigger than us has the final say. And if you give up now, you just don't know what could happen tomorrow. Yeah, it could get worse, but it could get better.

One thing I've noted about the seasons in life is that there is a beginning and end. Nature speaks of this and it is applicable to our lives in a personal way.

The Christmas season is here and it's always a time for warm feelings as we gather with family and friends. In the midst of my sadness, there is the sparkle in my 9 year old's eyes that make me remember that life is worth living. Intermingled with the bad stuff there's some real good stuff, too. Look for it.

Whoever you are, wherever you are, the sun always comes out tomorrow. And if you're hurting, or your child is hurting, "Merry Christmas" is not for you. But knowing that God redeemed us when He sent Jesus, a baby who was predestined for death, wrapped in swaddling (grave) cloths with gifts of ointments (used for burial), there is reason to be at peace. There's even joy. Because when you trust God you relax. So much is out of our control.  The choices of others to be exact. And when we know God is with us, well, we have joy. Happiness is temporary. Joy is constant.

To every thing, there is a season. There's a beginning and a middle. But there is an end!