After Tomorrow

          So, one of my favorite events of the year is an event called Bethlehem Revisited. A family out where we live has a fairly large piece of property, and they have accumulated over the years stations around their property as the places of the story of Jesus. And each first weekend of December, they have a bunch of groups of people out there, and actors act out the different parts of the Christmas story, starting with a few of the major profits, through the nativity story, and then even through his crucifixion and resurrection. It is a wonderful ministry, and it has been very effective. Many of the churches in our town have given people and animals (yes, we have actual animals for the market place), food, and much more. Lots of effort is put into this, and I have sang in the angel choir (like where the angels came to the shepherds) for about five years now, and my friends and I have officially decided that this is one of our most very favorite events of the year. It is not only a great adventure, social event, and ministry, but so many, including me feel close to God there; a lot of singing goes on there, and since singing is one of my very favorite things to do is sing, that lends its self to my love of it. The harmony, the joy, the worship is a wonderful experience, and something that  is looked forward to in my heart all year long.

           However, once you have a wonderful weekend of worship and friends and all that.....
and then nothing. It is done. It can be kind of depressing for an extravert. But I didn't want to get depressed this year. I was determined to not get depressed. Because, trust me, it is not fun to be depressed.

          One of my major problems that I have is that I am always forgetting to read my Bible. don't get me wrong, I love the bible, I believe in it, it really encouraging to me, and I am only hurting myself when I forget. But I do forget.

          However, I found this passage, and it was encouraging, because another thing I do when I am depressed is to just plop out if you know what I mean; not busy myself with anything, which incidentally is just about the worst thing you can do when you are depressed.

          But you know, it gave me great encouragement to read Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 which says:

9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live;13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.

14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.[a]

          God Has given us work for a reason, and he has made the rest of life for a reason; yes Bethlehem revisited is wonderful, but life can still move on with greatness. "To be joyful and to do good as long as they live." 

         We needn't be depressed just because something great had ended. All we need to to do is make the rest of our life great, to find hope in Christ, and live well.

         God already has tomorrow planned out; all we must do it live it.

God bless,

~ Claire R

"...take pleasure in...toil—this is God's gift to man." v. 13 b

So, it snowed a couple days ago. YAY!! But... this is actually a picture from last year. :) But it still snowed!!!