A Time for Everything

Writing has been hard for me since the death of my sister. I cannot seem to find the words....the ache is deep and lingering and the tears continue. I've struggled to be able to express how I feel, except for the tears. There are few who truly know my heart.

But, 2 Sundays ago, it was Emily R., who helped to lift me up out of the pit. It was to be her last Sunday in my class as she was to move up the following Sunday. She and I both were struggling. It is always hard for me to say goodbye to my girls when they "move up." I get attached, very attached to them after spending 3 years watching them grow and mature in the Lord. Emily stayed after class and she and I both cried. As we held each other, she leaned onto my shoulder and said, "I don't want to put my foot over the threshhold of the door cause I know this is the last time. I don't want to go."

Immediately, the Lord whispered this in my ear......

"There is a season, an appointed time for everything, under heaven....."

And so, that is exactly what I whispered into Emily's ear. As I was trying to encourage her and help her understand that truly, there IS A TIME FOR EVERYTHING...the Lord God Himself, encouraged me also. It was time for her to go...."There is a time for every event under heaven...."
and just 2 weeks ago, it had been time for my sister to go...."A time to give birth and a time to die..."

I cried because I was loosing Emily and I had shed buckets of tears over the loss of my sister....but, I too, realized this...

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven--
A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiates 3:1-8

For everything in this life.....there is a time and a season for a beginning and for an ending. Emily had helped me to remember this, even in my own sorrow. I cannot say that the tears have stopped, but I have clung to these verses, simply remembering that life is full of seasons. Some are difficult, some pleasant, but they are ALL a part of life and living. We MUST step over the threshhold, for life demands it. We cannot stay where we are, in the same classroom forever....never growing and maturing....we MUST take that step and move forward into the rest of the life that God has for us.

Thank you Emily, for helping me, even when you didn't know it and thank You Father God, for getting me through this most sorrowful time of my entire life. Once again, You have blessed.