Will This Winter Ever End?
As I write, we are again being hit with more snow. The weatherman said we might hit the all time record for the snowiest winter. Do we really have to? I don’t think I would mind missing that honor. And the potential flooding that goes with it. Our house isn’t in a floodplain but it still isn’t easy watching others lose everything to the rising waters. We were here is Iowa in 2008 when much of the state experienced severe flooding and were able to volunteer, filing sandbags. It was a great opportunity to take all the boys and let them see what it is to come alongside someone who is in need. I think it is important to teach my children to think of someone besides themselves. There have been several opportunities to help others this winter. From helping free stuck vehicles to shoveling sidewalks, the frequent snow has made it easy to fine ways to work together.
I really don’t mind winter. I love the changing seasons, but let’s be reasonable about it. I could use a little more of the WARMER weather, please. When the first snowflakes fall in, well this year is was October, I switch into my “cold-weather” mode. I look for new cold weather recipes, I plan some quilting projects and I stock up on books to read and puzzles to do. I like knowing that I will have long evenings to do a variety of activities that I haven’t had time to do during the warmer months. But now, with February trying desperately to come to a close, it is all getting old.
All of this pondering makes me think of how we all have seasons in our lives. I think God purposely caused it to be this way. I think we would probably tire of the same old life the same way we tire of the winter. I think we would even tire of the hot summer days, although that seems hard to believe at this moment. But seriously, I think we need change and I am usually the first one to resist it. I can get in a rut and want things to stay exactly the same, safe and predictable. But I know I am fooling myself if I think I would not eventually get bored or restless. God knows what I need and He sends the changes exactly when he knows I need them. The trick is to cooperate with the plan and not dig in my heels and decide I don’t want to budge. My hope is that someday I will have the same anticipation for the seasons God plans for me as I do for the seasons of the year.
