From Pollen to Perspective

Happy Monday to our CFC Family!

I don’t know why, but for some reason my mind notices the oddest little things in life. Things that most people wouldn’t pick up on, I somehow notice them, and not only that, I end up thinking about them far longer than I probably should. Why, you might ask? Honestly, I have no idea. It is probably not the most efficient use of mental energy, but I guess it’s just the way the Lord wired me.

This has been a bit of a lifelong quirk. I will see something and suddenly start asking why is that happening, what does it mean, and is there some deeper lesson hidden in this completely ordinary moment?

It probably sounds like overthinking, and perhaps it is, but strangely enough, it is often in those small, random observations that I find myself reflecting the most and learning lessons I did not expect.

And what was it this past week that grabbed my attention, you might ask? If you must know, it was people blowing their noses.

Yes. That was the “great mystery of the week.” People blowing their noses.

Last week I noticed a man walking past our house doing exactly that. I didn’t think much of it because, well, everyone has to blow their nose from time to time. Then later that same afternoon another person walked by doing the exact same thing. I remember thinking, “okay, that is a coincidence,” and from there never gave it a second thought. The very next day a third person came along doing it again, and at that point I started wondering what is going on?!

Then suddenly it clicked. The “lightbulb came on” and I realized it was pollen season. Spring had arrived in full force, and apparently so had everyone’s sinuses.

But what surprised me most was not that people were dealing with allergies, but that I WASN’T!

For most of my life, especially during my childhood, hay fever and I were well acquainted. Spring was beautiful, but it also came with itchy eyes, sneezing, congestion, and fatigue. Medication helped, but there were plenty of times I forgot it and quickly paid the price.

Sometimes my eyes would swell completely shut. I would go from normal to barely recognizable in a matter of minutes. It was frustrating, exhausting, and honestly just part of life every spring.

As I got older, it became less intense, but still very much present. Spring meant preparation, awareness, and knowing exactly where the antihistamines were at all times, just in case nature decided to remind me it was still in charge.

One memory that still stands out happened in Newfoundland when I was meeting Lenise’s family for the first time. We went to a restaurant that just happened to be beside a field of tall grass, and with those famous Newfoundland winds, you can probably already guess what happened. My allergies flared up almost immediately. My eyes became completely swollen, and I was trying my best to act normal while quietly wondering if I still looked like a functioning human being. I attempted to push through it and rise above the discomfort, but there was no hiding it. My face was a mess. Let’s just say I did not quite make the first impression I was aiming for!

As I watched those sniffling walkers pass by our house last week, I realized something surprising. I have not experienced allergies like that for a very long time.

Something that once felt like a major seasonal battle has now become almost forgettable. I still have sensitive eyes around dogs and cats, but compared to how things used to be, it feels like a completely different chapter of life.

And the truth is, this reality does not just relate to allergies. It also speaks about life itself.

We have all heard the scripture that say in Psalm 23 says, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”

What stands out for me is that it says that we walk “through the valley.” Not stuck. Not abandoned, but through it.

Yet when we are in those valleys of life, whether stress, grief, uncertainty, or struggle, it rarely feels like movement. It feels like permanence. But every valley, no matter how deep it feels, has an end.

Psalm 54:4 reminds us, “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” There is something steady in that truth. Even when life feels heavy or uncertain, we are not carried by our own strength alone. We are sustained in ways we do not always recognize in the moment.

And here is the part that is most interesting. Looking back, we often realize that we did not notice when the valley actually ended. We just kept walking, kept living, kept trusting, and one day we looked around and realized things were different. The weight had lifted. The season had shifted. The valley was no longer where we were standing, even though we could not pinpoint when it changed.

So maybe the question is not only what valley are you in right now, but also this, and this is this weeks question….

Question: What if you are already further out of it than you think, and just have not noticed it yet? Think about it! Just keep going, keep trusting, you just never know when you suddenly realize that that valley, that chapter, thanks to his faithfulness is finally ending?

Have a great week and we’ll see you Sunday!

Pastor Dan