The First 3 Days of December

Don’t look now but December is almost upon us and Grandma would always say, “The first 3 days of December rule the winter.” In other words, whatever the weather is like the first 3 days of December so goes the weather for the rest of winter. So, if the first 3 days bring weather that is mild and dry or very cold and snowy or very cold and dry, the first of December gives you a glimpse into the future of the winter’s weather.

Winter and Curiosity

Winter in West Virginia, the non-mountainous parts anyway, is always a little unpredictable. Some years have brought blizzards, ice, lots of snow and temperatures below zero. Other years have brought more mild temperatures with very little snow and ice. As for me, I have to be honest, I enjoy some snow fall, but the harsh temperatures with lots of ice I could do without. And usually by sometime in January I am looking forward to the spring. But as for the first 3 days of December ruling the winter, human nature has a curiosity of trying to figure out the future, don’t we? We want to know and maybe even prepare for what tomorrow holds. It seems we struggle with being content in the moment. Maybe it is because we have the drive to prepare or it is like anticipating the opening of a gift.

What If…

Let’s expand this old timer’s saying a little further. What if God’s word said, “The first 3 days of the new year will determine what the year will bring.” Or “The first 3 days after your birthday will determine what this upcoming year will hold for you.” Would you like that? Would you like to know ahead of time, just a year at a time, how your year will go?

Wow, I have to say just the thought of living life that way stresses me out. Can you imagine right before those 3 days the anticipation of knowing if you were about to experience a year of wonderful blessings, a year of some hard sorrows or a mediocre year of just getting through the daily to do’s? Now, I am like the next person, I enjoy a sneak preview of most things, but I am not sure I could handle a sneak peak of my life, even one year at a time.

Then What?

I know some people who are such planners, they would probably enjoy knowing the events of the year.

If it were going to be a year of joyous blessings, they would plan the parties and banquets.

If the year were about to bring financial gain, they would decide how to spend and/or save their new funds.

How about just more of the same hum-drum daily life tasks? How would you plan to experience that with a greater sense of joy?

I imagine some would be very content and thankful and others would try to find a way to change things, make things more exciting.

                                              What if the year were going to bring sorrow and pain?

Well, they would be hurt, but I would guess they would coordinate ahead of time how to move through the pain. I can only imagine that no matter what the year would bring, the amount of temptation to move out of God’s plan or will would increase exponentially.  Then who is really in charge?

What If We Miss it?

What if all this thinking and planning for the future caused us to miss what was really important? What if we missed today? Now, I believe in goal setting, and planning as much as we can for tomorrow and our futures. But I think if the Good Lord revealed too much to us about our lives, I am not sure we could handle it. Even worse yet, I believe we might miss the most precious parts of life, just the contentment of enjoying today in fact, even this moment. And we would miss going through the lessons that would transform us to be better people.  I hope you are allowing God to use the good and bad of your daily life to make you more like Christ.

Don’t skip school

I believe every day we are enrolled in the School of Life. Everyday life provides the opportunity to teach us lessons. These lessons should make us more patient, thankful, giving, honest and trusting of our Heavenly Father. Really just more Christ-like, and if we were to rush through every day or are preoccupied with the future, what lessons are we missing today? Do we ever pause and reflect or even ask the Lord what he may be trying to teach us now? We refer to him as our Heavenly Father, isn’t it a Father’s job to aid in growing his children up? Are you missing it? Am I missing it?

For example…

let’s say you are working in a job that feels like a great burden to you 

or as a homemaker you feel unappreciated

or you’re in school and the pressure to maintain success is becoming overwhelming

or you work in a Christian environment and it feels as though nobody has read the Bible or they behave as if they haven’t.

It is in times like that, you would like to know that very soon circumstances are going to change. That very soon you will find a more peaceful work environment, that your family will recognize all your sacrifice and say “thank you” or your teachers or professors will slack off and not demand so much from you. Or better yet, the college president will single you out and grant you your diploma early, wouldn’t that be something? Or that your Christian environment will begin to look less judgmental and more gracious and forgiving.

Really God?

Do we trust God to be in charge of the timing of our lives? Or do we know best how long the seasons of our lives should last? It is in times like these we must trust God’s word when he says in Psalms 31:14-15,

“14 But I trust in you, LORD; I say, “You are my God.” 15 My times are in your hands;”

Do you trust the God who created you to know what is best for you? The Bible says there is a purpose and a season for everything.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”.

How Long?

What if you saw that the future and your hardships were going to continue for months, would you have the perseverance to endure through the tough times or would you just quit and wait for the good things to unfold? What if you can’t get to the good times if you don’t go through the hard times? God knows what he is doing. He knows what we need in our lives, times of blessing and sorrow. How could you ever enjoy the present if you are focused on the future? At just the right time God will give us what we need to be more like him and yes, we are better off letting life play out one day a time.

Matthew 6:34 states, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

I Remember…

As I am writing, the lyrics of a song I used to hear on the radio growing up is going through my mind. I think a lot of people recorded the song, but I remember Christi Lane’s version of “One Day at a Time”

“One day at a time, sweet Jesus

I’m only human, I’m just a woman
Help me believe in what I could be and all that I am
Show me the stairway I have to climb
Lord, for my sake teach me to take one day at a time

One day at a time, sweet Jesus
That’s all I’m asking from You
Just give me the strength to do everyday
What I have to do

Yesterday’s gone, sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine
Lord, help me today, show me the way
One day at a time…”

Was Grandma right?

So what about knowing your future…?

I would say Grandma was right. I believe the first 3 days of December does rule the winter. Whatever those first 3 days bring, cold, warm, snowy or dry, the winter ahead will hold some days like the first 3. Just like in life there will be some great days, some hard days and lots of average days. We serve such a loving and gracious God who always has our best interests in mind, even if it doesn’t seem or feel like it.

And aren’t you glad The Lord gave you some choices? You get to make some decisions in regard to jobs, schooling, having a good attitude about mundane tasks, and setting goals. Of course, as Christians we read and study God’s word and try to surround ourselves with people of wisdom. But I am sure grateful God gives us the gift by unveiling life to us one day at a time knowing just what we need.

Keep Living ~One Day At A Time