I am in the midst of winter. Living in Nebraska it's a given that February will be cold and snowy. As they say, "It comes with the territory," literally. The days are generally cloudy. The wind blows incessantly and the storms are fierce. A young friend is here visiting from the east coast. She was complaining last night about how cold it is. Those of us from this area wore no coats, after all, it was nearly fifty degrees...a heat wave. The sun was shining. It was an exceptional day here.
Actually, we have been very fortunate this year. There has been very little snow and the temperatures have not been nearly as cold as they could have been. The storms have been few. It has been a mild winter, an easy winter.
Isn't it amazing how our lives mirror the seasons? This is definitely a winter in my life. There are many changes taking place. My son is struggling to create his independence. My finances are not what they once were. While I love the work that I do, it does not compensate me as my previous job did. A definite winter...
But during this winter, I have experienced some of the most remarkable signs of spring. New friends have reached out to me in ways no one has ever done before. They have made me feel understood and at home. They have loved me when I didn't believe I was lovable.
It is time for some things to pass. I know, fulwell, that some of the 'old' season will not carry into the new and, in all honesty, I have struggled with that. I'm not certain that I'm ready to turn loose of those things whose time has come. I liked it the 'old' way.
But I'm also ready for the spring and its new beginnings. I look forward to all the 'newness' to come. You see, I know that God doesn't take something away, unless He's ready to replace it with something even better. I know this, in my head. My heart will take a little while longer.
That's OK. I've got some winter left. Isn't that what the season is about...slowing down, hibernating for a little while, in preparation for new life? Births are slow and painful. But just look at what you've got when it's all over! The rich colors, the deep textures, the vividness of new life!
So I'm trying to embrace this winter of my life. I'm trying to focus on all the signs of spring that continue to come to me. Spring is coming and it will be awesome!
In Christ we are a new creation! The old has gone, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17
