The word season is defined as a time characterized by a particular circumstance or feature. A suitable or natural time or occasion. An indefinite period of time. A period of the year characterized by or associated with a particular activity or phenomenon. We think of a whole divided by four.

Dr. Paul F. Schmidt, a psychologist life coach, talks about The Four Seasons of Love Before Marriage. “A problem in most relationships is that the partners are in two different seasons of readiness for love.” That I surmise is why you never see a 50/50 marriage.  That does not mean you are necessarily incompatible.

Ecclesiastes says that there’s a season for everything, and he gives a list of seven pairs of opposing things. Every pair he gives is a positive combined with a negative.

1.There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2.a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3.a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

4.a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5.a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6.a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7.a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak.

This is another analogy using seasons— relationships. All through school you were inseparable, including college. You both got married and for the first few years you communicated weekly. All of a sudden you both stopped and have not heard from each other in fifty years.

Dr. Marc Agronin M. D., a geriatric psychiatrist, says take the initiative. It is important for one party to step up first. Let it be you. “Especially if there has been a breach of years.” Say you miss them and that it is important.

On the other hand, he says that if you reach out and you do not hear from the other person do not badger. “Some people don’t want to reconnect.”

Although I turned seventy-six on 8 June, I am also sixty-six, fifty-six, forty-six, thirty-six, twenty-six, sixteen, and yes six. I used tens instead of ones. The post would have been too long had I used ones. Seventy-six, seventy-five, seventy-four, seventy-three, seventy-two, seventy-one, and seventy.  You get the idea.

In the story “Eleven”, Sandra Cisneros explains how a girl named Rachel turns eleven years old, yet she does not feel like she is eleven. Later on, she has a disagreement with her teacher about an ugly sweater and she wishes she was older so she could defend herself.

Rachel goes on to say that what people do not understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you’re seventy-six you’re also all of the ages all the way down to one. And when you wake up on your seventy sixth birthday you expect to feel seventy-six, but you don’t.

You open your eyes and everything’s just like yesterday, only it’s today. And you don’t feel seventy-six at all. You feel like you’re seventy-five. And you are –underneath the year that makes you seventy-six. There are many times that you might do or say things that others might think are stupid or immature for your actual age, but not to worry. You are acting like one of your younger ages.

The phrase “once a man, twice a child” is a saying that is often used to express the idea that people are never too old to learn new things or to change their way. It suggests that even when we are grown up and have achieved a certain level of maturity, we still have much to learn and can still grow and change.

The idea is always something new to discover and learn, and we should approach life with a sense of curiosity and openness.  I am a member of the “Lifetime Learner Club.” I strive to learn something new each day, even if it learning what not to do.

If it is your first, second, third, breakup, or if you have had more, they never get any easier. And although they hurt and leave you feeling like you want to die, they can be a blessing in disguise. No one likes changes as much as they pretend. We like comfort zones. We know it helps to change but we have gotten used to the other way.

There are lots of ways to overcome a breakup but choosing the right one is not always easy. Some people move, thinking that distance will give them peace and they can start over. Some get stuck and do not know what to do. Others refuse to accept it and try to change the other person’s mind. Whatever your cure, try to remember that this difficult time will pass

Heartbreak reminds us that not all life’s situations can be solved. Even when the body heals, emotional scars can still exist. With each heartbreak, we end up deeply changed. After some periods of mourning if we grieve fully and face our sadness there will come a time where we may wish to recover.

Research explains why the pain of heartbreak isn’t just in the mind. Falling in love can feel intense and often leaves people giddy and euphoric. But cutting that connection can trigger a rush of negative emotions that can feel physically painful.

But don’t give up. God does much with broken things. It was with broken promises of promotions of advancement in retail management, my wife getting hurt in the same, losing faith in myself that made me quit and go to graduate school. Where I not only left with a degree but a new me.

It was brokenness that made me stop running from the only one who could save me. God has promises for the broken hearted. “He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.” The good news is that no matter the source of your heartbreak, God can repair your wounds.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:17).

“Every good gift and every perfect gift are from above, coming down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). Don’t give up. Don’t quit too soon. Blessings!

This is a subject that is 0nly seriously talked about when a manmade disaster occurs, lots of lives are lost, and there might be lawsuits against a corporation or government agency. Instantly there is a discussion of lost salaries and who is going to step up and replace their monetary contributions to their love ones. “Something needs to be done so that it does not occur again.”

We take a different view of the many lives that are lost each day all over the world that seem to occur for seemingly no reason. “Too much mayo on a sandwich, you stepped on my shoes, you did not buy the toy I wanted, you hit my car”, and other things that can be easily replaced. Death as we know it is permanent.

The sadness is that we see so much carnage in the news, we have been made less likely to feel shock or distress at scenes of cruelty or suffering by overexposure to such images. We have become de-sensitized to violence. We say things like, “I understand why they killed them.”

Their worth to society is rarely mentioned unless it is within the four walls of the church, by those who are grieving and is mentioned by the person giving the eulogy. Do the last, the least and the lost fit in that $ 6.9 category? Apparently, they are not.  If they were, surely the red flags would be tweaked.

It’s not just the American dollar that’s losing value. A government agency has decided that an American life isn’t worth what it used to be. The “value of a statistical life” is $6.9 million in today’s dollars, the Environmental Protection Agency reckoned in May— nearly $1 million down from just five years ago.

Though it may seem like a harmless bureaucratic recalculation, the devaluation has real consequences. When drawing up regulations, government agencies put a value on human life and then weigh the costs versus the lifesaving benefits of the proposed rule. The less a life is worth statistically, the less the need for regulation. So, it may be that if the rule to adopt costs more than the life it saves, it may not be adopted.

The EPA figure is not based on peoples earning capacity, or their potential contributions to society, or how much they are loved and needed by their friends and family. Instead, economists calculate the value based on what people are willing to pay to avoid certain risks, and how much extra employers pay their workers to take on additional risks.

Twenty plus years ago when I was transitioning from Mass Retail Management, I took a detour for a moment. I worked for one of the largest oil companies. One of the tasks I had to learn was the everyday operation of running the fuel pumps.  There was one customer who always reminded me, “Do You realize that you have one of the most dangerous jobs…”

A few weeks before I left for graduate school, a midnight attendant, working alone, was killed. There was no mention of his worth.  Just like then, there is little mention of the dead one’s worth to society. However, scripture says that every life is precious, even the last, the lost, and the last.

I don’t care how many times you get hurt or feel like giving up on humanity, life is better having a relationship with others. Perhaps you just need to think about the last relationship and figure out whether it was something that you missed. Just because you are “head over heels about someone, it does not mean that they are compelled to feel the same way about you.

In antiquity I really liked someone. I got goosebumps just thinking about her. Goosebumps occur when tiny muscles in our skin’s follicles, called arrector pili muscles, pull hair upright.  Caused especially from cold, fear, or a sudden feeling of excitement. One day, out of the blue, she said that she wanted to talk to me. I was so excited. She said, “You are a great guy, but I just don’t like you.” And walked away. Lesson 1.

There is a growing “rent-a-family industry in some Asian countries to meet the needs of lonely people, or those who do not want to take the trouble to make friendships for whatever reason. Professional actors have stepped in to play the roles of mother, father, sister, brother, wife, husband, or any relative needed. Some go so far as to hire actors to impersonate estranged relatives.

This trend reflects a basic truth: Humans are created for relationship. In the creation story found in Genesis, God looks at each thing He has made and sees that it’s “very good” But when God considers Adam, He says. “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Gen 2:18). The human needed another human.

The Bible does not hint about our need for connection, but tells us where to find relationships: among Jesus’s followers. That means you cannot be a Christian by yourself. Jesus, at His death, told His friend John to consider Christ’s mother as his own. And Paul instructed believers to treat others like parents and children (1 Timothy 5:1-2).

The psalmist tells us that part of God’s redemptive work in the world is to put “the lonely in families.” God settles the solitary in a home; He leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land (Psalm 68:6).

I used to think that I did not need anyone too. After experiencing being loved, I do not know what I would have done all these years if they had not been in my life. To have someone say that they have always loved you, is a great thing. To have someone say that there will always be a special place in their heart for you although you are not together, is icing on the cake.

The late great R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass said it best in the song “When Somebody Loves You Back.” It’s so good loving somebody and somebody loves you back. And that’s a fact. 1978

When I was in high school the guidance counselor could always be depended upon to make a loan. Milk or cookies were only a dime. He was about to loan to a student who owed me money. I said, you know you will never see it again. He said, “If they do not pay me back, I have not lost much, and I have learned not to loan them a greater amount.”  

Some people say they do not give anything and do not expect to be given to. Perhaps they have learned that lesson from others, or have experienced it.  Once on a move I had to have about $1400 to get into an apartment. I was willing to wait until I got paid, but one of the assistants said, “Why wait, I just sold some stock and you can pay me back when you get it.”  

When it comes to beggars, they can be categorized into two types. Those who have no choice and are forced to do it, and those who have mastered the art of begging and make a substantial amount of money from it. How do you decide in a split second, which? Trust your heart.

This scripture is taken out of context. Jesus said, “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me”.  This was said in reference to the expensive flask of ointment that was poured over Jesus’ head. The disciples had said that it could have been sold for a large sum of money and given to the poor.  

Many look at it as if to say, why worry about those that are less fortunate. Even Jesus said that there will always be the poor.  Others look at it to mean that we should be concerned and do something about it. Jesus answers this question. Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done (Proverbs 19:17).

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.

Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the King will answer them, as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:35-40).

If you are ever in doubt, the Apostle Paul reminds us to “Let brotherly/sisterly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:1-3).

Ghostbusters is a 1984 American comedy film directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. Three eccentric parapsychologists who start a ghost-catching business in New York City.  Based on his own fascination with spirituality, Aykroyd conceived it as a project in which they would venture through time and space battling supernatural threats.

We all need help at different times in life and are blessed if we have someone we can turn to. It might be a parent, a friend, a mentor, or a total stranger. It does not have to always be about the lack of money. You might have the money but can not get your hands on it right then.

In your darkest moments, think first of Jesus and turn to Him in prayer. What if you do not have a relationship with Him and doubt whether he will answer your prayer in time to solve your problem? If this is the case, then you have to figure out which person you think is more likely to come to your aid.

Although we live in a time when we believe that everything can happen at a moment’s notice, there are times when this fails. Almost everyone that I know, that are reliable, which happens to be female, they might not be anywhere near their cell phone, or know its location.    

The cell phone can be a blessing or a curse. There is not a day that goes by that I do not have to help someone find their phone. At least in antiquity it was hard to lose. I am no different, I have to have someone call mine also. Why is this so? Could it be that we do not rely on our phone as much as some?

How about this situation: You’re in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee when a major storm suddenly threatens to sink the ship/boat. The disciples of Jesus, in that exact situation, thought about Jesus. They found Him asleep in the back of the boat. But He rose to the occasion and stilled the storm (Matthew 8:23-27).

If there was one person you could turn to, regardless of the situation. It would be Jesus.  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

There is nothing wrong with receiving accolades for achievement and success. We are often told from the beginning of knowing life, “Do your very best.” The challenge is to stay focused on the One who calls us to follow Him saying, “for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

People who achieve an extraordinary level of fame or reputation while still alive are often called “a legend in their own time.” There are others who are “a legend in their own mind.” Pride has a way of distorting how we see ourselves while humility offers a realistic perspective.

I taught a student years ago who had all of the fancy moves he saw in basketball greats but never scored any shots while playing. Nor did he provide the assistance for others to achieve shots. His mother was angry with the coach because he was not accepted on the school team.

The writer of Proverbs said, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Self-evaluation positions us for a fall. Viewing ourselves in the mirror of self-importance reflects a distorted image. This is why we do not often ask others what they think about us.

I have often wondered why great people have a dark side that not many know about until they make an awful mistake in doing something that does not have anything to do with why they are called great. I was told by a student that you cannot separate the two people. They are the same person.

Some of the vilest people in modern times were/or great artist, great singers, great financial geniuses, great sports players, musicians, preachers, great politicians, teachers, builders, soldier, mother, father, sister, brother. And some I am sure I left out.

Yet when they are spoken of, they are treated like two different people. Some will say, yes that is true, but—I still think they are great. Like the student’s observation that I mentioned above, I still struggle with that. Am I alone? What are your thoughts on the subject?

The antidote to the virus of arrogance is true humility that comes from God, our Creator. “Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.”

Jesus told His disciples, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:26-28).