He has made everything beautiful in its time. —Ecclesiastes 3:11a NIV
“It’s time to paint the house.” The truth hit me hard. It’s time to start the long process that begins in the spring and goes through the summer and into the fall! It takes many hours of labor.
I like painting! My husband, Ray, is glad I do because it would be a huge job for him to do alone! I find joy in seeing how beautiful it looks as we finish each section. Ray works on the high parts on a tall ladder, and I paint the lower sections from the ground or with just a small step ladder. It is a lot of work, but it is so satisfying as we create a safe and welcoming home.
Of course, it seems there are always problems along the way. It does not always go smoothly. A sudden change in the weather, rain when we want sunshine. Once, I dropped my favorite little paintbrush into a gallon of paint! I had to plunge my hand down inside to get it back! (I guess I could have called this story “The Painted Hand”!)
But you can only paint for so long before you need to “pause” and rest. We take this time to be thankful for the gift of a lovely home, our place of rest, grateful for the energy to do this much work, and super thankful for all we can still do (the last paint job was in our eighties!). The pause for rest is needed and is very welcome.
In a time of war, the word “pause” takes on a special meaning. I was a child in England during World War II. Our nights were often spent in an air-raid shelter as German planes flew over the city, dropping their deadly bombs, causing so much destruction of buildings and lives lost. Under the cover of darkness, they felt safe to fly, and much of our city was destroyed.
Then came the pause—the welcome pause with every new day. As the sun slowly appeared on the horizon, the planes left, and the raids stopped. Each new day was a pause when life was normal (as normal as life can be in war). Daylight gave us the pause—and how we welcomed it. Relieved to have lived through another night of destruction, we were thankful indeed for safety.
God has given us many pauses in our lives. Let’s be thankful for each bit of time He gives us to catch our breath, to rest and pray, or to rejoice in gratitude for another day of life.
Lord, help us to see every day as a gift, to use it wisely, to work, to serve someone, to bring joy and love and kindness, to pause and thank You for all You give us. Whether in our work or play, in times of war or peace, in hardship or comfort, we can find rest in You.
Margaret is Sharon’s Mum. She and her husband have had 68 years of marriage and four children. They enjoy hiking, biking, canoeing, and just being outdoors, watching wildlife. Margaret played the piano for many years as part of a nursing home ministry. She has written many articles for her church newsletter, and some of these have been compiled into a trilogy of books: Holding My Father’s Hand, Holding My Daughter’s Hand, and Holding My Heavenly Father’s Hand, all available here on Amazon.
Saved by grace,
Margaret Fowler
Sweet Selah Ministries
Vision
To inspire a movement away from the belief that “busy is better”
and toward the truth of God’s Word that stillness and knowing
Him matter most—and will be reflected in more effective work and service
Mission
To offer biblical resources and retreats that help women pause (Selah)
and love God more deeply as they know Him more intimately (Sweet)
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