A light icing of white covered our ground this morning. Part of my heart sunk because I knew it meant death of color soon in our northern Indiana world.  I’m a gardener.  I love the color and beauty of flowers.  I honestly think there’s nothing more beautiful than the vibrant, natural colors of flowers that can’t be reproduced by man. Only God creates things so beautiful.  For the next six months, our world of color will be limited to brown, white, and grey, with a  hint of yellow and blue skies on sunny days.

Brown, white and grey just doesn’t do it for me.

The first frost reminded me of what is to come – winter.  It reminded me of unpleasant things in our life that must come so life can renew and grow.  Harsh things like the sting of frost to growing plants.  For a time and season, death and dormancy comes so new things can grow.

The circle of life as Zazu says in “The Lion King.”

There’s a time and place for seasons in life.  There’s a time and place for seasons in growth. These seasons bring regret, angst, sadness and anticipation.

Anticipation for rest, reflection and preparation for new seasons.

Every fall on our family farm, a  harvest is gathered from tiny seeds sown in the spring.  My brother-in-laws put in hours of hard work.  For them, winter brings a much-needed rest before the work of spring.  A satisfied feeling of hard work, accomplishment, and harvest.

As I looked at my flowerbeds today, some plants are done for the season.  Other plants have a few more days of beauty.  A tinge of relieve comes knowing there won’t be weeds to pull, bugs to worry about, or maintenance for the things I find beauty in.  While the ground rests, so will I.  There’s some peace in that.  Peace in rest.  A sense of comfort in the dormancy.

Beauty in growth, peace in rest.  

Just like life.

Life brings beauty in times of personal or spiritual growth, acknowledging the work it takes for growth to happen.

Life brings rest in times of peace, acknowledging the need for quiet calm and reflection both personally and spiritually.

God is perfect, isn’t He?  Creating seasons for a reason – for the renewing of the earth but also renewing of the soul.

Another reason why I love God so much.

He’s personal in every way.

In my busyness today, I longed for the vibrant colors of summer to remain.  His Word whispered to me that winter and dormancy is not a time to dread, but a time to embrace rest -physically, spiritually, and personally.

How do the changing of the seasons speak to you?  How do you approach winter – physically, personally, spiritually?  How do the seasons minister to you?

I’d love to hear.  I’m going to send my helping hands outside later today to clean up the remnants of summer.  Saying good-bye to the vibrant, but welcoming the calm.

“There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Have a great weekend each and every one of you, resting in the season you are in.

Brenda