In Season

I’m a pretty good cook but attempting to cook anything remotely interesting for four young children is an exercise in futility. I try to force the issue a little more while at home, but while on vacation, I usually surrender and plan the most basic menu that can be pulled together within 20 minutes. At some point during the week, the thought of eating dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets was keeping me up at night, so I decided to take a drive to the nearby seafood store and pick up something interesting for the adults. As I explored the extensive assortment of the day’s fresh catch, I chatted with the owners about how the pandemic was affecting their business. "I guess this season is pretty much make or break for you?" I asked. "It’s certainly important," said the woman checking me out, "but down here, if you only live for the season, you won’t live long."

In my life and leadership, do I work for "a season" or for the year? Are my expectations and plans built around high tide only or am I grounded in myself and more importantly in the Lord to engage the ebbs and flows that life’s journey includes. It reminded me of one friend’s succinct explanation of why faith was so important to him. "My Catholic faith helps me embrace the suffering in life that is necessary and avoid the suffering that’s not." As we navigate this period of uncertainty, let’s ground ourselves in the God of all seasons.