I'm not sure about you, but winter is a season I'm never extremely excited about.
I'm not trying to sound negative, really I'm not. Its just my true feelings. Feelings I fight each and every year. I guess it may have something to do with the dark mornings and evenings. The cold that hurts even your bones. The layers of clothes we take off and on over and over again. The dead grass and disappearing leaves.
How hard it is on our farm animals. I know negative! I'm sorry. Even as I'm typing this out I can hear the thoughts in the back of my head. Catherine, you are blessed.
Don't post this.
BUT, I am. I'm posting it because you too may be feeling the same. If so let me tell you about my realization. My big wake up call that has be tucking my head for ever complaining.
I was sitting there fighting off the negative feelings of winter. I prayed to our Lord, please help me see the beauty and gifts of this season. All of your creations are glorious, I know this.
So help me to see and forgive me for not seeing.
As the days followed I thought of warmer sunny times hidden in this season of cold. How excited we are to see the sun, to feel its warmth on our face. Enjoying playtime at the park. I also began to think of why God created winter in the first place. It is the season made for nature to die off and start fresh in the spring. Without it natures cycle would not continue as it does year after year. Would we know the gift of the warmer days if we didn't live without them? Each season makes the next even more valuable and special. Cast over sky set a soft glow on our day. Bundling up in scarfs and hats sipping on a cup of Joe is cozy and warm.
Think of the families long ago who truly knew the meaning of a hard winter. They worked together making ends meet. No matter what the age, you were holding responsibilities being part of that family. The bond built in these families is something we see so less of in our world today. No wonder we have time to develop winter blues. With this I am thankful. I am thankful for this season of winter. I welcome it with all the blessings it brings!
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ... Ecclesiastes 3:1-22
7 comments:
thank you for posting this catherine. i usually enjoy winter (even in minnesota!) quite a bit, though it does get long ..... but this winter has been a tough one. lots of extreme cold, lots of ice and hard snow -- not easy to play outside in .... as i'm typing this i'm listening to tom hammer ice off our roof. i'm still feeling a little blah about winter but your post made me smile. thanks : )
I, like you, have the winter blues. But, I always do enjoy the seasons changing. And seeing my kids giddy over all that snow sure helps also. Thanks for remnding us of the good :)
well put....i don't get the winter blues but i do find it hard to make the most of all the indoor time with my kids.
Winter can be tough. I don't enjoy it immensely but I do love the break from our crazy summer heat! I think of this past summer when I looked at my thermometer in the shade on the front porch and it said 113 degrees. Suddenly I am thankful for winter. Strange, I know!
I do get the winter blues. Thanks for posting this, I needed this right now.
One of my fave verses from Ecc :-)
Thank you all. Happy this post could be helpful to you. Blessings Catherine
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