Seasoned

Seasoned

But the land you are crossing the Jordan 

to take possession of 

is a land

 of mountains and valleys 

that drinks rain from heaven. 

It is a land the Lord your God cares for; 

the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it 

from the beginning of the year 

to its end

(Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

     On the first day of each new year, I read this Scripture passage. It is a reminder that another year has arrived which will hold seasons of days. It seems a new beginning, a fresh slate for hopes and dreams; promises fulfilled. I want to take possession of what God has for me and at the same time, I want what He has for me to be very very good!

In the days leading up to the new year, 

as I am in the boat crossing the Jordan 

and leaving the shoreline of the year past, 

I ponder the days of the old year. I extract its highlights and if possible, peruse my daily journal entries to be reminded of the cries of my heart and the joys of my heart that I recorded so I’d not forget them. 

Some of these times stand out without going back to their written remembrances. 

In recall, through the written words, 

in the moments that they occurred, 

when all was fresh in the unknowing of what was to come, 

in the wondering, 

in the despairing,

in the prayers typed out,

in Scriptures that brought hope,

in the rejoicing of times of delight,

I am grateful I took time to record the days.

Yes, there definitely were mountains and there definitely were valleys. There were also the days where life went on as is usual with the basic tasks that each of us need to accomplish.

 I came through them all! 

It is important to remember this reality because I will face joys and challenges in the year ahead. 

Knowing what lies behind, I garner up confidence walking into the unknowns of the new days to come. I will walk with the awareness of God’s faithfulness to me during all of my past days. 

He guided me then. 

He will guide me with the fresh steps I take 

if I choose to let him.

True, the Lord cares about the land and the year, but He cares about me more. 

His presence is steadfast. 

His eyes are continually on me. 

He desires me to cooperate with him. 

He accompanies me with his grace.

I need not dwell on each day of the whole new year. That would be overwhelming. God sees those days ahead. I release them into his hands. I commit to accepting his grace as I live out one day at a time. 

Will I discover it to be a mountain day

 or a valley day 

or somewhere in between? 

Maybe it will be a day comprised of all three!

As I read this Scripture, I know that I will have questions as some of my days emerge.

 That is alright. 

The seasons from my other years 

have helped me to recognize 

that my not- knowing is 

simply part of God’s all-knowing. 

He sees the land’s obstacles. 

      I trust and follow his lead. 

    I become a seasoned traveler by 

choosing to accept 

both the mountain and the valley days. 

Each nourishes me as I drink the rain from heaven,

God’s presence itself.

Prayer

 Lord, you are my constant comforter 

as I face the seasons of my life 

and the unknowns of each new day. 

Thank you for being 

my hope, 

my trust, 

and my guide 

as I treasure You in each moment.

Amen.

Mt. Baker

as viewed from 

Mt. Constitution

Orcas Island, Washington

Photo by Lynn