The Wonders of the Season

As winter becomes established, I notice a different kind of beauty that God has provided.  The clear, cold, crisp nights with twinkling stars and a glorious glowing moon, seem almost close enough to reach and to touch.

I savor the satisfaction of bringing in the firewood, and laying a fire, the sharp smell of the wood smoke, and the beauty of the dancing flames at our hearth.

I am blessed to have the strength and energy to clear the walkways of our recent snowfall.  That snow looked like angel kisses as it fell.

The sharp, icy winds sweep tree branches and the yard free of leaves, making way for the new.  The bare branches are an interesting abstract pattern, and will be the framework for the green beauty of springtime.  Ice sometimes coats the twigs, and in the sunrise they appear coated in glass.  The ice encases the buds that will survive and spring forth in bloom, within a few short months.

In a broader perspective, I see the season as one of rest, for the earth, before the springtime bursts forth with vibrant greenery once again.  Behind the scenes, so to speak, the trees and plants and seeds are preparing themselves. There's a feeling of eternity, dependability, in these endless cycles of nature.

Traditionally, on the farm, winter was a time of repair and renewal as well.  Livestock still needed care, but with fewer hours spent tending the fields, more time was focused on mending this or that, planning and preparing for the next growing season, making sure the family was safe and secure.

In today's hectic world, we sometimes lose sight of God's seasons and their rhythms, forget to appreciate His gifts - not for how we can use them, but simply as they are.  I invite you today, and every day, to dress for the weather, step outside, and notice God's handiwork in all the miracles that surround you.