Understanding the seasons…

Have you ever met someone newly who appear as someone you have known all along? A new friend could sometimes look like an old wine. It seems like you have known each other elsewhere before this day. It is as if you both parted ways when the world began only to reconnect today? It happened to be so smooth a conversation like the grease of jelly on the baby’s hair. Encountering an acquaintance is usually a stroke of luck to some people, a sheer coincidence to others, and a timely blend of values to another. Seasons are usually like that:A mere acquaintance!

So how does understanding seasons concern you? I am sure you are impatient to find out. One of the indications of changed seasons is that things begin to happen that has never happened like that before. You meet new people. You reconnect with old friends. You change your address, you got a new job. You change your location. You got married. You have this new born. You graduated from school. You started a new program...We can see that these are events that happens to us almost often? The moral behind this is that we have been going in and out of seasons unknowingly. We have entered, exit and re-entered our seasons without knowing them or realizing so.

Some other indications of a changed seasons are in terms of those unexpected happenings that we may have experienced. You hooked up with strangers. They became so pleasant than your sibling... Some times, in the process of time, certain doors begin to open that were formerly shut. First you hear the creak, then the snap of the lock. Then the door turns on the hinge. And lo, an opportunity is awaiting you out there. As it is, you heard the rusty sounds of the hinges in the turnings of the door. The gate swinged open of its own accord. And you walked through. There was no security watching. Somehow the window blinds slowly lifts. The silk revealed a face. At the other side of the curtain, someone peeped. Then a smile came through. It was at such a time when it is usually hard to find someone at home.

A quick short break outside led to a long conversation. Events began unfolding. The doors kept opening wider and wider. They won’t just stop opening until the dots are connected. As the dots began connecting, you began networking. The people you were wondering how you will ever meet happens to be looking for you. Eventually you met one another; they said: “What a coincidence. Yes, this is it! We have been looking for you”. Somebody asked: “Haven’t we met before?” I think I remember you from somewhere. Another said: It’s a pleasure to meet you. You have made our day.” And they invite you into their new team. The other side concurred to your proposal, accepting it for the project. Things began to happen without sweats. You are networked with ease with someone you never expect to meet. There is another opportunity awaiting you elsewhere.

On the other hand, it may not read like this for another. There were deadlines that they have missed. The scholarship ended yesterday before they got there. They did not shortlist them for the batch. The vacancy got filled up just this morning. Their job interview went awry. They screwed up their numbers. The panels were biased when it got to their turn. The managers were looking for something they did not have. The queue got disorganized when it was about time for them to get there. They closed the mall by the time they got there. They were told that the admission just closed for this year yesterday. Someone lost their file in the process. The office is locked for the day. They misdirected their application. Someone misplaced their package. Someone was careless in handling their case until there was a complication.

Were you misunderstood over a small matter? Did you arrive late again due to traffic? Were you indeed told you had to come back next month? Were you misinformed that it was happening that season when it was not? Did you risk it all to get here yet you did not get it? What happened to you after all your trials. Was the door closing on you gradually. Were the windows shut at you? When the windows closed. When the doors shut. When the birds roost in the trees. When the Crows climbed up for the night into trees. When its light out when you are still out in the search. It is time to pray. Take your hands of the wheels. Stop struggling with the maker. The night is here. the lights may be out. It is not a farewell.It is only a good night.

Responsibility of chances

If you don’t fight in a battle you won’t appreciate the victory. Some of us think that because the scripture said that in his time, He makes all things beautiful, that automatically means that when His time comes you will pluck success off trees like Cherry without taking risks or attempting chances. Its a cheap grace mentality to think that you will not need to lift a finger.
Yes you will know when its time because there will be peace but that peace is not cheap. The ultimate measure of peace is discovered in war. You will need to act responsibly when His time comes. You may be surprised at the workings of God that you will be experiencing such that you begin to ask yourself where you’ve been all along and how come you were not seeing certain things before this time. The truth is: When His time comes all things may not be necessarily easier than you wish. You may not necessarily struggle for things but you will have to take responsibility for them.

The true season of greatness is that which comes to us… it is true that it may not be the door we forced open, neither the vision we created out of self-will but through divine direction, outworking of grace, by right positioning, through the power relationships ordained from above, personal preparation through mind engagement, studying of great men and women’s books, we are ushered into new seasons. We enter seasons as though they were unfolded to us although, they’ve always been there all along, and we see and capture opportunities. The truth is we were the ones who shifted; we were the individuals who changed and behold the opportunities? They appear! Just like Hagar, the maid of Sarah, she was close to the well water but she did not see it until God opened her eyes. Genesis 21:19 says: And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.

Capture the moments…

So life went on…
Our neighbor moved,
Our friends changed.
Somebody graduated
Another friend got married,
Someone bought a home
Another friend got his dream job
Twas party time!
We went over.
We forgot our best friend’s birthday
We could not meet up with the deadline
The new Minister invited us,
He’s been forever busy.
We got a sales call
“When next can we call back?”
Never mind. We’ll call you.
Our classmate lost her loved one
She is not coming for Christmas
We were at the last reunion
She was hail and hearty
She is down with cancer.
We met this new friend
She proved to be loyal
We bonded at once
She became our family friend
We lost our car key
It fell, hidden behind the freezer
We found a parking lot closer to classroom
The Union won!
We got a raise
A staff resigned
A contract came in
Somebody invited us for dinner
An old friend will be coming for a visit
We won a bid
“The bill came in today…”
Our life revolves…
Our days spin in circle;
around events, people, places
Opportunities: they come in pieces
We live in moments
Time will never be enough
We lose; we gain and lose, to gain
We may see disappointments and frustrations
We may also be faced by rejections
When we fail, we groan
When we succeed, we smile
We hardly share the dirty secrets
We’ve loved only once. But when we love we know it.
A gossip will spread; splitting dear friends,
The cycle of life is like a circle
When we get to the place where we started.
Then we’ll begin again
But when we began, we must know the difference
Check out the sign posts,
Look for the spots and landmarks
And remember to always capture the moments
That is the secret of happiness
Because when you look back
All you can truly see are the moments...