[Faith-talk] FW: [masterslist] A Strong Sense of Season

Wed Feb 1 21:47:25 UTC 2012

Original Message: 
From: "Dean Masters" <dwmasters15 at gmail.com>
To: "masters list" <masterslist at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [masterslist] A Strong Sense of Season
Date: 
Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:21:55 -0500

A Strong Sense of Season

Listen to Audio
(right click to save)

On the first warm day of spring I can remember my son saying, "Ready for
a 
little baseball, Dad?" Well, 'twas the season, although that early in the

season
we usually ended up stuck in the mud somewhere between home plate and
first 
base. Now, he didn't ask about playing baseball if it was fall or winter.

Now,
he always had a like a strong sense of season. By the same token, the
first 
cool day of late summer, of course, that brought a predictable question, 
"Ready
for a little football, Dad?" This is the same son, of course, that got
upset 
when he saw Christmas items up before Thanksgiving, or phone calls when
he
was studying or homework that you had to do on weekends. See, this kid
had 
and actually still does have for that matter, a strong sense of what
season
it is, and there's actually a lot of sanity in living that way.

Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from Ecclesiastes 3,
and 
let me read some excerpts to you: "There is a time for everything, and a 
season
for every activity under heaven: 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." It goes on with a list of life's times, and
then
concludes in verse 11, "God has made everything beautiful in its time."

Well, the message of Ecclesiastes 3 to me is this: know what time it is. 
Know what season it is at this point in your life, or your month, or your 
week.
And then really do what it's time to do and don't mix up your seasons.
When 
it's time to work, well, really work; when it's time to fellowship,
really
fellowship. Just don't mix everything up.

Now, I know some people who talk half of their work day. Well, when it's 
fellowship time, do that, but don't mix that with your work and
vice-versa. 
When
it's time to play, well, really play. When it's time to be home, don't
bring 
your work home with you; be home. When it's time to be at work, don't
keep
doing personal stuff. When it's time to pray, block out everything else.

Maybe that's why Jesus told us to go in a closet to do it. When it's time
to 
listen, drop everything else and focus on that person. If it's time to 
finish
something else before you listen, get that done and schedule a time when
you 
really can listen. When it's time to study, don't talk. When it's time to
unwind, don't study. Get the idea?

I have a friend whose employees' wives are on the warpath because their 
husbands are coming home forever late from work. Guess who they blame? The

boss
and the company for over-working their men. Well, the fact is what the
wives 
don't know is that these men are taking extended lunch hours for gym time
and shooting the breeze much of the day. They waste as much time as they 
work, and then they have to work like crazy at the other end of the day.
And 
then,
guess what? They can't be the fathers they need to be.

I like what the Bible says in Colossians 3, "Whatever you do, do it with
all 
your heart." And I really like what Jim Elliot, the missionary martyr
said,
"Wherever you are, be all there." See, things don't work as well when you
do 
them "out of season." Each day, each week has seasons in your life. Well,
do with all your heart what it's time to do at that moment and then God 
makes everything beautiful in its time.

I'll tell you, life is a lot more peaceful when you live with that strong

sense of season.

© (c) Ronald P. Hutchcraft
Distributed by Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.

Learn how to begin a personal, love-relationship with the God who made
you.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

00001901/#

You may also like:

THIS WEEK
HomeWord, with Jim Burns
Encouraging parents, building families

Click to read online >>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

THIS WEEK
Christianity Works with Berni Dymet
Talking about issues that really matter

Click to read online >>

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

Free eBook Offer from CUFI!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

Give Orphans Shoes this Christmas
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

Free DVD- Magdalena: Through Her Eyes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

Private Christian Education
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

Free Book about Christian Persecution
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Featured Video
Ministry from
LightSource.com

Kirk Cameron & Ray Comfort
Living Waters University
See more ministry videos at LightSource.com

Today on Crosswalk.com
Terrorists attack on Christmas; 500 die during 2011
Pray for Nigeria
Terrorists attack on Christmas; 500 die during 2011
Are your socials unattended? Consider a paradigm shift
A Singles Ministry Must-Read
Are your socials unattended? Consider a paradigm shift
A church counselor shines a light on pastoral infidelity
When Pastors Fail
A church counselor shines a light on pastoral infidelity
Pam & Bill Farrel have suggestions to fan the flame
Want More Romance in 2012?
Pam & Bill Farrel have suggestions to fan the flame

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

Send a FREE Ecard

More Ecards

2012

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

New Year Greeting

table end

This email is never sent unsolicited. You received this email because
your 
email address, dwmasters15 at gmail.com, is signed up to receive email from
a 
Salem
Web Network website. We respect and value your time and are committed to 
protecting your privacy.

Salem Web Network website properties include:
list of 11 items
. Crosswalk.com
. OnePlace.com
. LightSource.com
. CrossCards.com
. Christianity.com
. BibleStudyTools.com
. ChristianCollege.com
. GodTube.com
. GospelTube.com
. Jesus.org
. TheFish.com
list end

Dean Masters, owner of the Masters List

"I would rather walk in the dark with Jesus than to walk in the light on
my 
own."
Wayne Watson

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/masterslist 