The Shifting Scenes of Life

Presentation Transcript

The drive of a lifetime

In the words of Allie Fry, about 1965.
While going for a ride to the peaceful hills on a recent Saturday afternoon, this phrase kept running through my mind, “the shifting scenes of life,” an expression my dad uses a lot in his prayers.

As we rode along enjoying the beautiful scenery, which was ever changing, here would be a hill, dotted with blue lupines, with pine trees and buckeye, just putting on its fresh greenery, to make it even more beautiful

Then a few yards ahead, there would be a herd of fat cows, some eating grass, and some just laying and chewing their cud. The shifting scenes of life.

Now we come to a little stream of water, quietly gurgling across the pebbles and rocks, so peaceful.

Over on the next hill we see a carpet of tiny yellow blooms, mixed with green splotches of grass.

Still farther on, a bed of pink blossoms, and bushes covered with rich yellow blooms.

As we climb higher up the mountain road, the scene changes again; the trees are getting larger, more pines and different kinds of evergreens, and some patches of snow are now beginning to appear.

The weather is getting cooler now. Higher and higher we climb, and the snow gets deeper, whiter, so untouched, so beautiful. It’s winter again, we left spring behind. The snow looks as though it has just fallen. The trees are still laden with the beautiful, white treasure from heaven.

There is almost no traffic today on this quiet, peaceful country road. The road is getting slick, but we climb, slowly, to the summit of old Greenhorn, so white, so cold, serenely beautiful.

Yes, our lives are like the ever changing pattern of the country road scenes. We never know what a day may bring forth. As the wild flowers, the grass, and the trees, drink in the rain and the sun showered upon them by our creator, then they in return bring forth beauty for the passerby to enjoy; just so, our lives should be beautiful, no matter how few our talents may be, or how little we seem to accomplish.

Sometimes little things can accomplish much, as long as we try to glorify God, our creator. Surely with his help we can truly brighten someone’s path, lighten someone’s burden, dry someone’s tears, speak a kind word to a sad soul. The shifting scenes of life.

Yes, from the cradle to the grave, the scene is ever changing. You and I are changing, for better or for worse, even though we may not realize it. Let’s not be content to enjoy the blessings of our God without somehow, some way, glorifying him, each day of our lives.

Yes, from the cradle to the grave, the scene is ever changing. You and I are changing, for better or for worse, even though we may not realize it. Let’s not be content to enjoy the blessings of our God without somehow, some way, glorifying him, each day of our lives.

Charley

July 17, 1917

Tidus

July 16, 2004

Ps 37:25-26

I was young and now I am old,

yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken

or their children begging bread.

They are always generous and lend freely;

their children will be blessed. (NIV)

Charley

July 17, 1917

Tidus

July 16, 2004

Matt 6:25-27
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Matt 6:28-31
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Matt 6:31-34
31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (NIV)

Charley

July 17, 1917

Tidus

July 16, 2004

Phil 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Phil 4:8-9
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely , whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Eccl 3:11-14
11 God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil — this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. (NIV)