It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter. Psalms 74:17
When we think about winter the words: cold, stark, bitter, frigid, and extreme come to mind. Winter is seldom seen as something good unless you enjoy skiing or other winter sports.
Yet winter is my favorite time of year. It is the only time I am free of warmer season allergies and the asthma flare ups that accompany the warmer seasons each year.
However, this winter I am struggling with the season. Having lost much weight in the summer, I now find myself struggling to stay warm. I lost too much “insulation” with my shedding of pounds. The cold is more biting this time around.
Winter is also used in reference to getting old. “The winter of our lives”. Getting old can also seem stark and cold. Finding ourselves isolated in the dark without the warming sun of our youth.
"How many lessons of faith and beauty we should lose, if there were no winter in our year!"
--Thomas Wentworth Higginson
And so it is in our lifetime. If not for the trials and lessons learned in our youth we would have no experiences to draw upon for both the challenges and blessings of old age.
Winter can be a time for rest and reflection, just as with the last season of our life. For the Christian, we can use the winter months for growing closer to God, praying more, reading the Bible more, strengthening our relationship with God in the “slower season” of the year. It is a time when we are not so easily drawn away by the activities outdoors. If in the winter of old age we can likewise reflect upon our life, remember its lessons, and share our experiences with others. Then we can prepare for the spring of our rebirth.
The season of winter is difficult for many people in a variety of ways. Yet it need not be so. If we use winter well, it can bring blessings that arrive with spring, no matter what form spring takes in the season of our life.
Prayer: Dear Lord, we look at winter as something stark and cold. Help us to also see its beauty and that it is preparing us for spring. Amen.
Summer is my fave season! It's when my body wakes up a little & moves a bit more freely! Praise God that He chose for us to move house in summer when I'm more capable of assisting my family with the brutal pace that accompanies packing & unpacking! I guess my body is saying "stop & rest now" as I sprained my ankle yesterday & have enforced bedrest!! I hope it's not too cold for you my friend & that a fire burns in your soul for Him to give you warmth! God bless. LOTSoluv Kerryn
ReplyDeleteThanks Kerryn!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear that about your twisted ankle :( Praying that you recover quickly.
Endless sunny days with high barometric pressure can indeed feel good, so I understand why you love summer :) I probably would as well if not for my crazy allergies. But the warm weather will feel good to my bones this year I'm sure :)
Blessings.
Karlton