The Seasons....

Ok...so, like, it's Saturday afternoon. And, #1 is making plain pieces of paper into beautiful artwork, #2 is tearing the house up looking for a stuffed friend, and #3 is sleeping. Hubby is fixing a friend's computer. He has a couple of them, waiting for his expertise. (where were they when he owned his own business???)

I am listening to the sounds of my house. Peaceful. It's a rather nice feeling. Mikayla had her first trumpet concert today. It was all the 5th and 6th grade bands playing together. Of course, it was wonderful. I may be biased, but it was nice to hear. They had an auction as well today to raise money for the bands and the choirs of the district. One lady got a double hung window for $10!!!! Not a typo, people...I should have bid! :)


Winter is coming upon us quickly. Time to really batten down the house for the season. We have been so blessed lately, to have such mild temps. It's still in the low 60's during the day. We haven't even had to turn our furnace on yet. Good thing! But, that's supposed to change next week. We are supposed to have a high of around 45 on Monday and then snow on Tuesday. Only lake effect, though. For those of you unfamiliar with the term "lake effect snow", it means that the wind will be blowing across Lake Michigan and bringing the cold moisture with it. It will snow, but be such little flakes, that it almost looks like diamonds falling from the sky. It's kinda pretty. Sometimes, we can get 1/2 inch from this, and sometimes we get dumped on. Just depends on how much Lake Michigan that it picks up. I expect that Tuesday's snowfall will be just a "pretty dusting". At least I hope so. We haven't mowed the lawn for the last time yet this year! I am not ready to get out the snow boots, hats, mittens, and shovels yet. We just drained the pool a couple of weeks ago!

But, all seasons must come and go within their own time. God has a plan, and it must be set into motion. Have you ever wondered why God made winter? During winter, it's cold and icy and miserable outside. Kind of like a a person before Christ. He is cold and icy on the outside. Judgmental. Full of Pride. And like the winter, whichever way the wind blows, it's the coldest. Someone who's not following God's plan for them tends to be icy and following the wind (crowd) where ever it leads. But, the hound of Heaven is coming! Spring of the heart, so to speak. As with the seasons, the spring comes. God's love reaches the icy-est heart and begins to thaw the pride, rebellion, and anger right out. His grace and mercy warm the very inner soul. As the winter of the heart melts, a new life springs right back up. Hallelujah! The spring has sprung.

The Christian is now full of new life, teeming with all the fragrances of spring. Love for the Lord is getting warmer. And then, Summer. All the fruits of this Christian begin to take shape. Just like an apple blossom on a tree. In the spring, the pretty flowers form. Then, in the summer, the fruits take shape. The apples are growing, maturing, and becoming ready for their harvest. Oh, to live in a summer of life with the Lord! To always feel the fullness of joy and warmth and growth! But, that would be selfish. We must go through the harvest. Oh, the harvest may be hard, but what a fruitful time! We sometimes get to see the joys of our labor. We get to see others come out of the winter of the heart, and into the spring. We shouldn't get discouraged when we are not full witnesses to the complete harvest, but knowing that it's harvest time is so awesome! Sometimes, we don't get to harvest the plant that grew from the see we started. We didn't get to watch it grow, but just prayed that God would send His light and rain in it's season. We also get to be the harvesters of another's planting at times. How cool is that! To have the awesome privelege of bringing another to the saving knowledge of Jesus!

And then, winter again. But, for the Christian, it's a different kind of winter. No longer, the bitter cold. But, warm and cozy with our Savior. While the storms of life blow and blow, we are safe inside His arms. And that is the most wonderful place to be.