That's Life ...

Monday was for mourning. Tuesday was for traveling. Wednesday was for catching up. The next few days are for hiking. The Kiedis/Ripple men have been planning our trek along the Appalachian Trail, aka BroMarch, for some time.

My sister's passing last week and "the brothers" marching this week reminds me of the words from Ecclesiastes:

1 For everything there is a season,

and a time for every matter under heaven:

2 a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 a time to cast away stones,

and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV

Solomon might as well added "a time for hiking." Life is never static. It is a wonderfully dynamic hike through peaks and valleys. There are "good times" and there are "bad times." We mourn deaths and we celebrate births -- sometimes the very same day. That's life!

Just a page turn from chapter three, the Preacher of Ecclesiastes adds these words which I dearly love:

Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoymentin all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 ESV

The ability to enjoy life's peaks and valleys comes from the certainty that life if not a meaningless up-and-down climb. It an adventure with a loving God who orders our steps (Psalm 37:23), watches over our way (Matthew 28:20; John 10:28), numbers every hair on our head (Luke 12:7), and gives life to the full (John 10:10).

I will be thinking about that as we traverse a little portion of a very long trail. I would encourage you to do the same as you make your march today. You see, walking with God . . . that's life!