seasons

Every Season
Every evening sky, an invitation
To trace the patterned stars
And early in July, a celebration
For freedom that is ours
And I notice You
In children’s games
In those who watch them from the shade
Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder
You are summer

And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside
Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and was to come
You are autumn

And everything in time and under heaven
Finally falls asleep
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation
Shivers underneath
And still I notice you
When branches crack
And in my breath on frosted glass
Even now in death,
You open doors for life to enter
You are winter

And everything that’s new has bravely surfaced
Teaching us to breathe
What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green
So it is with You
And how You make me new
With every season’s change
And so it will be
As You are re-creating me
Summer, autumn, winter, spring

-Nichole Nordeman

I have always wondered how seasons change and how it will be like to be part of it, and as I see the tree beside my room window begin to show signs of leaves withering, I realise it is a very special experience. It is as though God's creation is telling me that winter is just around the corner, another season has come and gone. Somehow the transition tells me that things are changing, but through the changing process, one thing remains constant, which is the creator Himself. I believe that no matter how life's season may change, God will never change. The God who gave the promises in the bible, still promises to those who will receive; the God who delivered His people then, still delivers those who humbly come to him.

Dr. Kent Hovind mentioned this in one of his seminars:" We should turn off the television once in a while and go out to enjoy God's creation, because creation itself is a testimony to the creator. So parents, don't stop your child when they spend most of their time gazing upon God's creation, it a good thing (of course unless they have homework to do =p). So the next time you come across a plant or a flower, try stopping for a while, and maybe if you are quiet enough , you might just hear God's creation trying to teach you truths about our creator.

home for christmas

Winter time isn't particularly my favourite season. Although I do like snow and a bit of cool breeze (that is actually an understatement, because winter is freezing cold!), it is the whole moody feeling that you get when the day gets dark early, and even in the afternoon you rarely get a good dose of sunshine. It gets even worse when you think of the Christmas season, which is an irony really, because I love Christmas. However, it is thinking about Christmas in a cold winter's night that make you feel lonely for just that moment.

These thoughts suddenly occured to me while I was walking back from work and I was listening to Steven Curtis Chapman's song - 'Going Home For Christmas'. The chorus first caught my attention and I was overwhelmed by the thought that I would really like to spend Christmas back home with my family once again. I knew I had to share this song in my blog, becuase it is such a beautiful thought that we can look forward to each Christmas day to remember our beloved savior's birth and share the moments with our loved ones. But as I continue to listen to the story of the song, I realized that there is another home which all of us can look forward to, a home that is far better than anything we can ever imagine. And if being home for Christmas in this world can be such a wonderful experience, I can only imagine of what Christmas will be like when we are home in heaven seeing the face of the one whose birth we remember year after year. How wonderful will that be? I don't know, but I know I will never miss that Christmas for anything at all.

Going Home For Christmas
Her house was where the family gather every Christmas eve
A feast was on the table and gifts were placed beneath the tree
Everything was picture perfect, Grandpa would laugh and say
That woman spends the whole year getting ready for this day

One year the leaves began to fall and her health began to fade
We moved her to a place were they could watch her night and day
but she kept making place for Christmas from her little room
She told everyone, I'll miss you, but I'll be leaving soon

I'm going home for Christmas, and I'm going home to stay
I'm going home for Christmas and nothing's gonna keep me away
I'll be with the ones I love to celebrate the Savior's birth
This gift will be worth more to me than anything on earth
I'm going home, home for Christmas

All the leaves outside have fallen to be covered by the snow
The family comes with food and gifts, and Grandpa comes alone
There's a sadness in our silence as the Christmas story's read
And with tears, Grandpa reminds us of the words that Grandma said

I'm going home for Christmas, and I'm going home to stay
I'm going home for Christmas and nothing's gonna keep me away
I'll be with the ones I love to celebrate the Savior's birth
This gift will be worth more to me than anything on earth
I'm going home, home for Christmas

As we sing ‘Joy to the World’ I can't help thinking
Of the joy that's shining in her eyes right now
And though our hearts still ache, we know that as we celebrate
She's singing with the herald angels and heaven's glowing on her face

And now she's home for Christmas, and now she's home to stay
She's home for Christmas and nothing could've kept her away
She'll be face to face with Jesus, as we celebrate
His birthAnd this gift will be worth more to her than anything on earth
She's home, she's home for Christmas
She is home
She's home for Christmas