What a glorious day – 80 degrees, sunny, light breeze. I can share this comfortably now since most of you also are experiencing the beauty of spring. My sister recently visited and while she was here we rediscovered the joy of crocheting together, a craft our grandmother taught us as children.

This morning as I was reaching over my music speaker for my ever-growing-whatever-this-may-turn-out-to-be fuzzy crocheted creation, the song “Turn, Turn, Turn” by the Byrds, just “happened” to be playing. So here I sit in my sundress gazing at the water, drinking hot coffee, about to dive back into my crocheting, a bit of a combo of extremes.

As many of you know, Ecclesasiastes 3:1-8 was the inspiration for this 1965 song written by Pete Seeger and recorded by the Byrds:

“To everything, turn, turn, turn,

There is a season turn, turn, turn,

And a time to every purpose under Heaven.

A time to be born, a time to die

A time to plant, a time to reap

A time to kill, a time to heal

A time to laugh, a time to weep

. . .

A time to build up, a time to break down

A time to dance, a time to mourn

A time to cast away stones

A time to gather stones together

. . .

A time of love, a time of hate

A time of war, a time of peace

A time you may embrace

A time to refrain from embracing

. . .

A time to gain, a time to lose

A time to rend, a time to sew

A time for love, a time for hate

A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late.”

The words of Ecclesiastes written thousands of years ago brought to this millennia through song, timeless since so true, beautifully describe the contrasts as a reminder of the seasons in our lives. . .

How many years ago and over the years, as a child, a young mother, as a middle aged woman, now as a grandmother, I have crocheted, the timeless stitches always coming back to mind, experience and generational teachings making the reconnection(s) more seamless, conjuring up thoughts of so many seasons in my life. . .

Making a woolen covering on such a hot day, sitting so quietly listening to God as I do so, His pulling together the contrasts, as in the yarn, each stitch by itself starting as just a single strand, but after a rather complicated maneuvering turning into beautiful intricacies, the flow of the movements creating a rhythm of peacefulness, connectedness of the past to the present, a reminder of the ebb and flow of life. . .

Sometimes we feel that the darker times outweigh the brighter, or that they far outlast our times reaping, laughing, and dancing. Yet are all seasons black or white, good or bad, as suggested in the lyrics? Just as the crocheted blanket on a hot sunny day brings out the mysterious beauty in the contrast, the lessons learned can be much deeper.

Even within each season there are the both/and, the times that we grow and learn even from the hardships and challenges, see the deeper beauty even in loss, feel His Presence more profoundly. When reminded that times pass, and so quickly, we are strengthened during those times with endurance, perseverance, often given the blessing of hope knowing the opposite season will arrive, perhaps just not as soon as (we think) we would like.

Just as crocheting on a hot day is a reminder of His goodness at all times, may He help us to see Him in all seasons as He grows us in Him.

Shabbat shalom,

Diane