Changing Seasons

Changing Seasons

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

² A time to be born,
    And a time to die;
A time to plant,
    And a time to pluck what is planted;
³ A time to kill,
    And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
    And a time to build up;
⁴ A time to weep,
    And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
    And a time to dance;
⁵ A time to cast away stones,
    And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
    And a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ A time to gain,
    And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
    And a time to throw away;
⁷ A time to tear,
    And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
    And a time to speak;
⁸ A time to love,
    And a time to hate;
A time of war,
    And a time of peace.

--Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 

Last day of Winter

Last Day of Winter

My husband and I took an opportunity to drive to the local mountains this past Monday for a day trip.  It was a gorgeous day, the best day of the week in the mountain forecast on our weather app! We wanted to enjoy the mountains, but we also wanted to see the snow. 

Having grown up in Southern California and living in a coastal climate, I am not very attuned to the seasons. I don't consider our So Cal Coastal area to have four seasons spread out in 3 month increments over the course of the year as some parts of the country and the world do. We can have freezing temperatures at night, followed by highs in the 80's the next day, even in December! So I was a bit taken by surprise when Tuesday's calendar greeted me with the announcement: first day of Spring. While in the mountains, the previous day, I hadn't recognized it as the last official day of Winter.

It struck me on Tuesday that from outward appearances nothing seemed to have changed in the seasons in my neighborhood. The weather was pretty much like the previous day. However in the mountains, with snow still on the ground we could see many indications of the coming season. Warmer weather. Leaf buds on the bare branches of the trees. Longer hours of daylight. Spring. Yet I had not recognized Monday as the last day of Winter, until I heard that Tuesday was the first day of Spring!

The scriptures that I quoted above assure us that there is a time for every purpose, and a purpose for every season. Winter is a time of rest, Spring a time to plant and greet new life, Summer is a time of growth and maturing, and Autumn is a time to harvest what was planted. This is the agricultural purpose of the annual cycle of nature's seasons.  Some areas nearer to the equator have only a rainy season and a drier season, while the regions near the poles have seasons marked by greater or lesser hours of daylight. 

Storms can also come seasonally. Rainy Season...Hurricane Season...Monsoon Season. Some events, such as droughts can cross over many years with no indication on the calendar as to when to expect them to begin or end. In a similar way the scriptures indicate that there are emotional seasons and storms in life: births, deaths, loss, gain, peace, war, joy, grief. I am encouraged to know that these events, while their beginning and ending dates are not on a ,are seasons. When in the midst of these tragic seasons of life, we can lose sight of the new season that may be soon coming upon us. We must hold onto the fact that there will be a new season...that the winter will have an ending determined by God.

It is a natural inclination to focus on "firsts" in life...first child...first steps...first day of school...first day of a season. We are always excited about new things.  When we are in the midst of a season of storm and devastation we can feel it will have no end. But like the "last day of Winter" was not on my calendar, I could see signs that Spring was coming. If you, like many of my dear friends, are struggling in the aftermath of great devastating emotional storms, I pray that you can soon begin to have healing and see some signs of Spring around you. I am praying for your Winter to end soon.  I know there will still be evidence of the destruction of the winter storms for a long time, however God promises to be faithful and present with us through all of our storms. Only He can make all things new!

A New Season

 

But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint. 

--Isaiah 40:31

Let me know how I can be praying for you!