The Shifting Scenes of Life
The drive of a lifetime
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• In the words of Allie Fry, about 1965.
• While going for a ride to the peaceful hills
on a recent Saturday afternoon, this
phrase kept running through my mind, “the
shifting scenes of life,” an expression my
dad uses a lot in his prayers.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• As we rode along enjoying the beautiful
scenery, which was ever changing, here
would be a hill, dotted with blue lupines,
with pine trees and buckeye, just putting
on its fresh greenery, to make it even more
beautiful
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• Then a few yards ahead, there would
be a herd of fat cows, some eating
grass, and some just laying and
chewing their cud. The shifting
scenes of life.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• Now we come to a little stream of water,
quietly gurgling across the pebbles and
rocks, so peaceful.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• Over on the next hill we see a carpet of
tiny yellow blooms, mixed with green
splotches of grass.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• Still farther on,
a bed of pink
blossoms, and
bushes
covered with
rich yellow
blooms.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• It’s spring everywhere — the birds are
singing and building a new nest.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• As we climb higher up the mountain road, the
scene changes again; the trees are getting
larger, more pines and different kinds of
evergreens, and some patches of snow are now
beginning to appear.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• The weather is getting cooler now. Higher and
higher we climb, and the snow gets deeper,
whiter, so untouched, so beautiful. It’s winter
again, we left spring behind. The snow looks as
though it has just fallen. The trees are still laden
with the beautiful, white treasure from heaven.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• There is almost no traffic today on this
quiet, peaceful country road. The road is
getting slick, but we climb, slowly, to the
summit of old Greenhorn, so white, so
cold, serenely beautiful.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• Yes, our lives are like the ever changing pattern
of the country road scenes. We never know what
a day may bring forth. As the wild flowers, the
grass, and the trees, drink in the rain and the
sun showered upon them by our creator, then
they in return bring forth beauty for the passerby
to enjoy; just so, our lives should be beautiful, no
matter how few our talents may be, or how little
we seem to accomplish.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• Sometimes little things can accomplish
much, as long as we try to glorify God,
our creator. Surely with his help we can
truly brighten someone’s path, lighten
someone’s burden, dry someone’s
tears, speak a kind word to a sad soul.
The shifting scenes of life.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• Yes, from the cradle to the grave, the
scene is ever changing. You and I are
changing, for better or for worse, even
though we may not realize it. Let’s not
be content to enjoy the blessings of our
God without somehow, some way,
glorifying him, each day of our lives.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
Charley
July 17, 1917
Tidus
July 16, 2004
• Yes, from the cradle to the grave, the scene is ever
changing. You and I are changing, for better or for
worse, even though we may not realize it. Let’s not
be content to enjoy the blessings of our God without
somehow, some way, glorifying him, each day of our
lives.
The Shifting Scenes of Life
Charley
July 17, 1917
Tidus
July 16, 2004
Ps 37:25-26
I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed. (NIV)
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• Matt 6:25-27
• 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your
life, what you will eat or drink; or about your
body, what you will wear. Is not life more
important than food, and the body more
important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of
the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in
barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not much more valuable than they? 27
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to
his life?
– NIV
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• Matt 6:28-31
• 28 "And why do you worry about clothes?
See how the lilies of the field grow. They do
not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not
even Solomon in all his splendor was
dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how
God clothes the grass of the field, which is
here today and tomorrow is thrown into the
fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you
of little faith?
– NIV
The Shifting Scenes of Life
Charley
July 17, 1917
Tidus
July 16, 2004
• Matt 6:31-34
• 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What
shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans
run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows
that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as
well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own. (NIV)
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• Phil 4:4-7
• 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again:
Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all.
The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about
anything, but in everything, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests
to God. 7 And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
– NIV
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• Phil 4:8-9
• 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is
noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely , whatever is admirable — if
anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think
about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned
or received or heard from me, or seen in me —
put it into practice. And the God of peace will be
with you.
– NIV
The Shifting Scenes of Life
• Eccl 3:11-14
• 11 God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has
also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot
fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I
know that there is nothing better for men than to be
happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone
may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil —
this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God
does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and
nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will
revere him. (NIV)
The Shifting Scenes of Life
–The drive of a lifetime
• Job 16:22 Only a few years
will pass before I go on the
journey of no return. (NIV)
• Are you ready to travel?