The picture sits on the top shelf of her bookcase…
A picture of her Mama helping her on her wedding day.
Stages of life …
Four shelves lower…
And from six years later…
Sits another sort of picture…
Emergency diapers…
A book on motherhood…
And a copy of Goodnight Moon.
Stages of life …
Later I sit in a public space…
Watching as new parents put their infant in his carriage.
They hold him as all new parents hold their babies…
As if they are afraid to touch him…
Afraid to drop him…
Afraid they might break him.
Their eyes never leave him.
Even when he is in his carriage and completely covered by a blanket…
They gaze down at him.
Stages of life …
To my left, a young girl completes a perfect cartwheel….
Full of energy and joy.
Stages of life …
Directly in front of me a grandfather leans over and signals his granddaughter…
A signal she knows well…
She runs and jumps on his back…
And he carries her out the door.
Stages of life …
Moving in the opposite direction…
An older woman walks alone…
Wearing a black hat, black coat and heavy black shoes.
Thin with age…
But walking briskly.
Stages of life …
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven… Ecclesiastes 3:1
Stages of life …
In some stages of life we run to God.
In others we run from God.
In still others we simply ignore Him.
But while we change and wander…
God, the immutable, unchanging God…
Stands always ready to welcome us home…
Welcome us with love…
…while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him… Luke 15:20
Welcome us with Joy…
… the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10
Welcome us into eternal life with Him…
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. Luke 15:24
