love and war

It's a striking dichotomy. Love and War. But it surmises remarkably the story I have recently found myself in.

The last few months have been pretty difficult for me, I've struggled and strived, and found that life can sometimes just be so hard. I've encountered immeasurable evil - like you would not believe.

But I have taken great hope from Ecclesiastes, for which I thank my little sister!

In chapter 3, the writer tells of how there is a time for everything under the sun. I specifically wanted to focus on: a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

What a remarkably wise statement! I've always struggled with balancing everything, and these words brought me great comfort.

I'll explain. I don't know if you're anything like me; sometimes I need to go to war against my work, or my emotions, or my approach, or (rarely, but sometimes) others. Sometimes I need to hate the status quo, hate the difficulties, hate the circumstances enough for me to want change so much it forces me to close my eyes, marigold my hands, or open my door, motivated by an angry love that it is not meant to be like this. And sometimes I don't need those emotions.

Life flows with an inevitable energy, a love that cannot be measured, a rhythm that's amazing. Everything works.

Whether war or peace, contentment follows... "He has made everything beautiful in it's time!" captures a mind-blowing understanding of a God whose work cannot be button holed, boxed in or summed up in three - short - words.

The flowers on the back lawn at college: breaking through the turf; the leaves on my garden path: very slowly dying and those wisdom teeth: still doing their utmost to burst through my gums. Beautiful. Love and War.

Where are your wars? And what do you love?