As the leaves fall...

...I am reminded of how quickly time goes by. It seems like it was just a few days ago when I was out in the summer heat. Now, the front yard is blanketed by maple leaves and the trees are showing branches that will quickly be covered by ice and snow. Life is like that. The days go by, the months pass, and the years roll by and before we know it; seasons of life have come and gone. Maybe some would consider me too young to reminisce about life, but I do anyway. I remember how I considered it an eternity until I would be a teenager, be in high school, get my drivers license, or start looking for a college to attend; but now it doesn't seem like it was long at all. I am beginning to realize how different seasons of life are created by God and given to us for different purposes. Childhood is a time to grow and discover the world around us, teenage years are a combination of many things but it is often during this time when we take the most obvious steps in who we will become, adulthood- I'm not sure about that yet. My mom always said that you shouldn't "wish your life away", and it's true. Having gained a few years since I was under the age of twelve, I see future years with a changed angle. The years ahead will come but I must life the life God has given me now. I can gaze into the future and make plans and goals but what presently matters is the what I am doing now which will prepare me for distinct days ahead. Now I need to be serving Christ, doing what is right, working hard, and preparing for the day when I will be an adult. The leaves will continue to fall, the snow will fly, and years will scurry on (until Christ returns) and I want to be able to look back and be thankful that I lived in the present with one eye on the future and my face fixed on eternity.