I haven’t blogged in a while.  Things have been stressful lately.   My youngest daughter graduated from High School and my oldest daughter moved in with her boyfriend.  I got a promotion and changed jobs at the worst possible time of year for an accountant, fiscal year end.  My new job is farther away from my home, so I have been getting used to waking up before the sun rises, which is a challenge for this confirmed night owl.

In the midst of this chaos, I called my mom. We had a nice, long conversation about everything and not much at all.  It was nice.  She probably didn’t realize it, but she said something I really needed to hear:  “The corn is starting to come up.”  This simple observation reminded me that the cycles of life are faithful and keep their very predictable timetable even when we feel as if our lives are in chaos.  I felt grounded and at peace in the knowledge that God is still in control.

To get to my new job, I drive by corn fields every day.  I watched the corn grow from knee high to head high over the few weeks I’ve been passing the fields.  Farmers have started to harvest the first ears of new sweet corn as it ripens and are sharing their bounty with the community.  Soon, the corn will reach its full maturity, and the ears left in the fields will be allowed to dry out to be used as feed corn for animals.  After the stalks have turned from green to golden brown, the last of the corn will be harvested and the stalks turned under the dirt to nourish next year’s crop.  Next spring, farmers will plant new seeds in faith that the cycle of life will begin again.