What an amazing world!

Autumn is here! We have finally set the clock back to pre-daylight saving time, the sun is casting shadows differently in our garden. I can look out the window and see the trees sway and am reminded of Ecclesiastes 3

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil?
I have seen the burden God has laid on men.
He 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.

What a privilege!

The more I read of my Maker and His only Son, the more I am in awe of His love for the people of this world. Scripture teaching at my local Infants school has taken me to the books written by some of Jesus' friends in the first Century (Luke and John mainly). In order to communicate the point of the story, I've had to do some hard work to think like a 7 year old and what the world might look like for them (it's been ages since I was there mind you...)

However, the books I'm reading about child development and the children themselves are teaching me lots about that! One child says "to have eternal life means to live till you're 100 years old." The Bible is full of words that we take for granted the meaning as adult Christian sometimes. So, it's doing me a lot of good just to think "yeah... what does it mean and how do I explain it in easy to understand language?" - "well, it's like this, when we trust in Jesus and believes what he says is true - God promises that we would become His friends forever and live as part of His family forever!" The response... "Oh..."

When you can see that a concept clicks in their minds...that's awesome! I makes me want to do my homework well for the next week.

Exciting news - we have a new addition to the extended family this month too! He's too cute, Ethan...