Sunrise, Sunset

Years ago (and I do mean years ago!) I heard a New Year’s message by Paul Burleson…it was about TIME. He explained that we have been tricked by the CLOCK…ROUND as it is (I told you it was years ago…I know that today most people have digital and this illustration just wouldn’t mean the same thing!)
Dr. Burleson explained that TIME does not go around…it just goes…thus the famous TIME LINE!!!

His point was that we need to be aware that we do not get TIME back...it goes FORWARD!
Almost every New Year I think about this fact…it is a new year, it is January AGAIN, but TIME is GOING…GOING…FORWARD
As 2009 begins there are MANY things in my life that are Going, Going, Forward.

I’ve already shared that we are moving soon. This holiday season has been my last in Ukraine. The last time I will go to the square and see the BIG Christmas tree. The last time I’ll knock on my neighbors’ doors and give them a small gift and wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The last time I’ll be in this apartment…this is a BIG deal to me because all my kids have been in this place together…who knows when they will be in our new home in Prague or if they ever will all be there together?
Many LAST (time in Ukraine (as I know it) is almost GONE!)

The Lord graciously allowed Daniel to come home for one more Christmas here in Ukraine. We had a great time of closure. Daniel went ice-skating with my English student. He made me skate too. I’d not been on ice-skates since before Christopher was born. I was not happy with Daniel…but I put on the skates and went out on the ice. Before long I was skating and came off the ice EXCITED that I’d pushed myself (okay, Daniel pushed MYSELF) and found that I’m not too old to do NEW THINGS.

Another adventure that we had was that Daniel and Mick both expressed that they had always wanted to walk across the Dnieper River…we have had a very GOOD winter (according to Mick…this means, IT IS COLD HERE AND HAS BEEN FOR A LONG TME!) so the river was traversable. Funny story they told me when they got home (alive and well)…They saw an ice-fisherman and asked him if he thought that the river was crossable. He replied, “I don’t know of anyone who has crossed it yet this year, but it should be Okay!” My men walked on!
They made it home feeling a little more like MEN. I mean, really, have any of you ever walked across the frozen Dnieper??? Didn’t think so!

One of the most memorable things for me was that we were able to attend a Worship service (Daniel’s last in this country) at the same church where we attended our first Worship service over fourteen years ago. As I walked down the aisle I passed the pew where we sat through a LONG Sunday morning worship time not understanding ONE WORD! Daniel was six years old and fell asleep (believe it or not) during the second or third sermon. When it was time to stand a little grandmother behind me said, “Sadeetyes!” I didn’t know what it meant, but I felt her hand on my shoulder and knew I was to stay seated! I was so thankful for that grandmother.
I didn’t get real emotional until we (IMB missionaries in Kiev) got up to sing. We sang in English and then in Russian. During the last verse of Silent Night (in Russian) I couldn’t sing…I just started crying. I thought about the change that had taken place in me and in Daniel in fourteen years and I was over-come with JOY that the Lord allowed Daniel to start and end (Sunrise, Sunset) at the same church.

Another reminder that TIME goes forward and NOT around is that Jonathan is getting married a week from today! When I think of weddings I think of the song Sunrise, Sunset…how quickly go the years! Jonathan has grown into a man…A man who has fallen in love with a little girl who has grown into a young woman.

Becky Dewett came to Ukraine in 1994 to be the Stockwell boys’ school teacher. She has stayed in Kiev. We have stayed in touch with Aunt Becky through the years and she has never stopped loving the Stockwell boys (men!)
Becky put together an amazing power point to be played at the rehearsal dinner (her gift to Jonathan and Katherine.)
While driving to Becky’s today to pick up the finished project I was listening to an old WOW Worship CD. The song, You are God, by Scott Underwood came up…I love this song. It says:

You are God of the heavens and God of the earth You are God of our Savior’s virgin birth

You were God on the cross and God over hell You were God before man and God when he fell

You

You are

You are God

You are God, God, God

You

You are

You are God

You are God, God, God

You are God in what seems like happenstance You are God in every circumstance You are God when we fall and God when we stand You are God who holds us in Your hand.

Well, of course I started crying and because I got lost I was able to listen and listen again to the song as I drove.

HE IS GOD…in SUNRISE AND SUNSET…HE IS GOD.
It is my desire to recognize HIM as such this year…2009.

LET HIM BE GOD in your 2009 as TIME goes on (not around!)