Over the past weeks, we have celebrated engagements, weddings, births, announcement of births, deaths, illness.
There have been funerals and weddings, birthday parties, anniversary parties.
School athletes have competed in various events, some winning, some facing defeat.
There have been public meetings at which people have been passionately in disagreement, some happy with decisions made by officials and some unhappy with those decisions.
There was a special election Tuesday to decide whether there would be an additional one-cent city sales tax. As of the press deadline for this newspaper, votes had not been cast, much less counted.
But, regardless of the outcome, life will go on. The sun will rise tomorrow morning. We will still be called upon to fulfill our obligations.
Whether the events in our lives are currently positive or negative, we can be assured of one thing -- circumstances will change!
Social media posts (which seem to consume so many people's time) share both good and bad news --pleas for prayers for loved ones facing grave illnesses and accidents, babies born, new houses purchased.
Sometimes, when we're in the midst of a situation, whether joyful or grievous, we can't see beyond it. That's probably more true of youth than of the elder population, who've experienced so much more life.
Consider the Scripture that states: "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Prov 29:18 (KJV)
What is your vision? What is your purpose for living?
If you can gain a vision for your purpose, determine the reason you exist and settle your mind on a strong foundation, then the vicissitudes of life will be less likely to rock you off your moorings.
Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of evangelist Billy Graham, grew up in the mountains of North Carolina. She recalls hiking in the mountains with her family on Sunday afternoons. She said she queried why the trees on the ridge were enormous. She said her mother said the trees on the top of the ridge were exposed to the full brunt of the winds and strongest storms. She said with nothing to shelter those trees, they either broke or became extremely resilient.
"God uses adversity to make us strong," Lotz said, using the analogy. "Are you enduring a storm? Maybe it's a spiritual growth spurt."
If situations are good in your life right now, rejoice and look for someone to encourage. If situations are dreadful, try to focus on your vision, be calm, and know, this, too, shall pass.
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Editor's note: Annette Beard is the managing editor of The Times of Northeast Benton County, chosen the best small weekly newspaper in Arkansas for five years. The opinions expressed are those of the author. She can be reached at [email protected].