Look what has come into the world!

         Well, we've survived the first two weeks of a big new high school for our 9th grader.  So far, so good...well, at least as far as we can tell based upon the rather limited sharing capacity of a 9th grade boy.
          Life hums along--two children off in college, two more off on their own, one of them married.  And here we are with Bible study about to begin (wonderful...but also lots more work and writing--but I need it, because I so desperately need God's Word!), schedules resuming, fall bearing down with football games, crunchy apples, the state fair, sweaters, pumpkins, and warm fires. And let's not forget that with autumn comes surely the best part of the year--Thanksgiving!  Pilgrims, gratitude, family, food, and crisp November air--what's not to love?
          Well, but see here's the thing: you can look at all this passing of time with thankfulness and happy anticipation...or you can view it with bittersweet sadness.  The other side of the coin: children growing up and leaving home...all of us getting older (with all the fun associated with that)...an unpredictable world...you get the idea.  
          We get to choose how we'll respond.  So what will it be?  Gratitude or grumbling?  Wonder or worry?  Faith or fear?  Isn't it so true: God allows us to choose our attitude and our response to life's circumstances--but we dare not make that choice without putting the Lord Jesus and His priceless gift of salvation and eternal life squarely in the center of our thinking.
           E. Stanley Jones put it this way: "The early Christians did not say in dismay, 'look what the world has come to,' but in delight, 'look what has come into the world.'"  Amen.
          Sure, life sure has it's shares of ups and downs, but oh my, there's so much joy, so much cause for wonder, laughter, and rejoicing.  Thank You, Father, for the changing seasons and the reminder that You who can transform summer heat into autumn glory can and will also transform and redeem us and the lives of those that we love as well.    
          So right now, I'm choosing gratitude for the past, joy and contentment in the present, and excitement over the future.  I'm reminded of a quote by Randy Alcorn in his wonderful book titled, Happiness.  (Sounds dorky from the title, but it's really good!)  "When Jesus walked the earth, He lived every moment with divine happiness in His past, the happiness of an eternal perspective in His present, and the anticipation of unending happiness in the future."  We, too, can and should have that joyful perspective...but if you're like me, you need frequent reminders.  No wonder we need to be in God's Word everyday for our daily bread.  
           I do need to add that not everyone at our house shares this perspective.  Bingley's not so sure about all his "brothers and sisters" growing up and moving on.  Here he sits guarding Preyer's stuff and trying to block the door to keep him from leaving--

         Might as well try to stop the world from turning, Mr. B.  Time to choose gratitude today, live for God's glory today, and trust our ever-faithful Lord today with whatever comes tomorrow.  "Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven, for His steadfast love endures forever!"  (Ps.136:26)
        "This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Ps.118:24)
        How can we not rejoice--after all, "look what has come into the world!"  Thank You, Lord Jesus!         To God be the glory.