Changes on the Horizon

After riding along with my husband to his brother's house, I opted to walk back home while he stayed for a longer visit.  It was a beautiful evening, with a few wispy clouds dancing in the blue sky.  I could almost imagine them as angels hanging out over Crosby, ND.

As I made my way down Main Street, another thought crossed my mind.  There will soon be a change in the skyline of Crosby.  A grain elevator which has served our area farmers over the course of my lifetime will soon be coming down.  Although I am not sure of the exact date it was built, I know it was in existence when I was a little girl, tagging along with my farmer father to bring in grain samples.

The highlight of those visits was getting an orange pop from the machine. . .one of those where you slide the bottle from its hanging storage to the mechanism which allowed you to pull it out once the proper amount of money was deposited.  I also remember watching as grain was swallowed up when exiting the trucks, making its way into storage.  I can still hear the swishing sound it made, and imagine the smell of the grain.  With my allergies, it is possible I didn't tag along very often.  Could it be a single visit impacted my memory banks enough to make it seem like just yesterday, instead of the decades it has been?

Over time, new elevators have been built, and this particular one has become obsolete.  Since it is no longer operational, a decision has been made to clear the spot.  Not so long ago, we watched as another iconic piece of Crosby skyline was removed.  With a new water tower built on the northwest corner of town, the old one was dismantled, and things just didn't seem right for a time.  Having now adjusted to one hole in the once familiar view, soon it will be time to change our focus once again.






As time passes, there is generally only one constant in life, and that is change.  What once was, will eventually be no more, and the path is laid for new adventures waiting down the road.  Part of me would like to once again be that little girl watching wide-eyed with wonder as her daddy took her through the world of a grain elevator.  Instead, it will be a grown up me watching as another piece of Crosby history is removed from our horizon.

It's nice to know there is one building which has stood the test of time. . .over 100 years now. . .our beautiful Courthouse at the north end of Main Street.  Even when it came time to expand with the new addition, they were able to preserve the historical view which speaks of "home" each time I see it.

Our lives, like the city of Crosby, have changing horizons from time to time.  As a student of God's Word, it is apparent through the pages of history kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall.  Yet there is a constant which has stood the test of time.  In Isaiah 40:8, we read even if the grass withers and the flowers fall, the Word of our God will stand forever.  

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible.  It has much to say about the importance of God's Word, and nestled right in the middle is verse 89:

Your Word, O Lord is eternal;

it stands firm in the heavens.

Firm and eternal are good words to cling to when things start falling apart in our world.  It is so good to remember God is our constant in the midst of all change.