Ecclesiastes 3

I feel like this chapter of this book has been extremely evident in my life recently.

It reads:

1 "There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."

I'll start by saying this. On March 5, 2011, Troy's Papa lost his battle to cancer. It has been such a heartache for the Watson family, as any loss of a loved one always is. He is and will forever be greatly missed!

Brittany and Lawson's wedding, April 2009. A sweet love story of Maw and Papa--married for 53 years!

The Watson boys laying with the Wii, Christmas 2009

"Trek-or-Treat" Run for Lung Cancer Association, October 2010

Christmas 2010 with grandkids and great-grandkids.

But just like the verse says, "there is a time to be born, and a time to die", and a short 11 days later, a 6 lb. 15 oz. bundle of joy was brought into this world... Averi Kay Watson was born!

She is seriously so precious, and so tiny! I went to the hospital the day she was born, but have yet to revisit her. I daily think about stopping by and seeing her, but I'm sure Lawson and Brittany have had visitors overload/enjoy time with just them 3/are tired. Lawson did text me tonight, a picture of her with the caption being "Auntie Lauren, where have you been?"... so I am planning on going over there sometime after church! Oh... the sweetness of a baby girl! She is darling!

“Every good and perfect gift is from above.” – James 1:17


Sidenote: According to Beth Moore, "God stop" is something that happens in your life that makes you stop and become more aware of God's hand on your life. My mother also refers to these types of happenings as a "God thing". They could be easily confused with irony, "perfect timing" or concidence, but as believers, we know that even the small things that play out in creative/surprising/relational ways are because of He who is in control.

So a "God stop" that I had, relating to this verse is this:

The morning of Troy's Papa's death, I texted him those Ecclesiastes 3 verses for comfort. This is how it played out:

LH: Verses... A Time for Everything...
TW: That's crazy. Those verses were read at FCA the other day and I kept going through them in my mind today.
LH: It's one of my dad's favorites.
LH: And isn't it amazing that he showed it to you earlier this week solely for today?!
LH: And that my Godly father revealed it to me through my earthly father to comfort you in the loss of your grandfather? God is so intricate and detailed in His perfect timing.
LH: And what's even more powerful is the planning of Averi's birth and your Papa's death--so biblical..."a time to be born and a time to die".

Coincidence that Troy heard it earlier in the week at FCA and I, not knowingly, texted it to him a few days later because of his loss. Nawww... it was a "God stop".