Seasons
Oh, how grateful I am to live in a place of four seasons. Today, after the shock of cold freezing rain in May, I was thinking that there are days you can sometimes observe evidence of four seasons all in one day in Michigan!
There is something about each season that I can say is my “favorite”. The golden sunshine of summer, the gorgeous autumn leaves, the gently falling snow in winter. Glancing out my window today, there is something glorious about the special green hue of the leaves just as they pop out in spring, after we’ve been awaiting their arrival for weeks.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time …” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
And just as there is something lovely about each season in nature, there is something is something equally sweet about each of the seasons in our lives. Each season has a lesson that we can learn from about life.
The carefree nature of youth and the fun of discovery and growing into young adulthood. The sweetness of young love and newness of first being married. The joy of welcoming babies and the privilege of watching them grow into individuals. During these seasons of happiness, I learned the importance of living life to its fullest.
Other seasons have been focused on growth. Honing my skills and talents and sharing them as God has provided opportunities. Helping to grow small humans. Providing a warm and stable home. Each season helped me learn to lean on God and follow His lead.
During seasons of fear, sickness and sadness, I learned that God provided. He answered prayers (not always the way I thought He would). His people helped me through times of pain and loss. This taught me that He is always with me and He provides in ways that are nothing short of what I can describe as “God moments”, bringing His words and care at just the right moment.
Every season, both in nature and in life, has its purpose and its own beauty.
“For everything there is a season,
A time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Prayer: Lord, Thank you for the changing seasons… of nature and of our lives. Help us to discover their beauty as we travel through them. Amen.
Karen Rich