the STANDard :: january :: 2014

the inevitability of change fills my mind with equal amounts of freedom and fear.  freedom in knowing that circumstances, seasons and scenarios WILL change...they're meant to, made to; and fear in the unknown part of the imminent change. what if? not yet? when? how on Earth?

here we stand, on the edge of a new year, looking forward and anticipating change. and, hopefully, the impending life-shift is being met with positive expectation.  especially if this past year has been filled with hardship or sorrow, that fact lends a measure of comfort as we can rest in knowing that things will, inevitably, change. and not just change.... but according to God's perfect plan, it'll become beautiful.

and so it is that i have chosen this verse as my first STANDard of this new year:

Ecclesiastes 3:11
"...He has made everything BEAUTIFUL in it's time..."

in the Amplified version, verse 11 goes on to say, "...He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds (a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy)..."

this statement comes just after Solomon has listed a myriad of "times". a time to be born, a time to die; a time to break down, a time to build up; a time to embrace and a time to part; a time to cry, a time to laugh....  and while these things are clearly, as i'm sure you and i both have experienced in our lives, an obvious and normal part of life there are some things that we probably wish there was never a time for.  death. sorrow. letting go. hate. war.  and yet the scripture is telling us.... He (God) has made each thing, each season, BEAUTIFUL in it's time. in HIS time.

how can that be??? how can the bitter become beautiful? how can there ever be a good time for sorrow? what good could possibly come from breaking down, crying, death?  i don't fully comprehend it, but i completely trust the one who does.

so if we are going to trust that and live accordingly, it's going to take some courage... more on that next month, as i'll attempt to tie some things together and begin to paint a musical picture of it all.
for now, suffice it to say... i believe God wants us to be BRAVE as we walk by faith through this next season and into whatever this new year holds... i have no doubt that in it's time, it will be BEAUTIFUL.

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side note:  the STANDard cards are now available for purchase!!  currently they are only available via paypal, although we will have them on the website soon.  it's 10$ for a set of 12 (9 designs) including shipping...

paypal me at officialcrystal@gmail.com and include your address as well as how many sets you'd like in the comment box.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!