Thursday, October 17, 2013

Seasons of life

        The change of seasons is upon us. Here we are in the fall season. Today it is cold, grey, and very wet outside. 

        I simply cannot watch the changing of the seasons without reflecting how they are so much like the seasons of our lives. Right now I am in the summer of my life. My children are young, our lives are busy, I'm fully grown and hopefully producing fruit. 

         Spring time. A time of newness, energy, and life. This is my children's season. They are still young and growing. There is still innocence and purity. The springtime is the best time to plant seeds. How true this is of the knowledge  we place in our children. While it can be planted later in life, the ground is most yielding and furtile at this season of life. We must take advantage of it and plans seeds of Gods word, kindness, and truth.  Sadly not all seeds will germinate. Even with careful tending these seeds can die. Yet, they have no chance of growing if they are not planted in the first place. 

      Summer time. I am in the season of summer in my life. Business, fruitfulness, tending gardens, long days, joy and light. Oh, and thunderstorms. :-) Summer is often the season we look back on and long for during the cold days of winter. When there were great days that seemed they would never end. When thunderstorms would come and cause fear and threaten us. But we feel clean and renewed after the storm passes. So true of the storms of life as well. There are times on these summer days when we long for winter. Yet the ones sitting in winter long for just one more day of summer. Children laughing and arguing, places to go, people to see, friends to meet, and battles to fight. 

      The season of Fall. This is the season I see my parents in. They have the joys of seeing the fruits of their labors. Fully grown children and young grandchildren. Life has been long enough to appriciate  the colors changing all around them. Life is quieting down a little. The days are shorter and sometimes they can be gloomy. There is still so much life in autumn. A new kind of life. In a way it is like a second spring. We, summertime people look on at the color, beauty and full maturity of fall with awe. Fall is a time of gathering fruits of the harvest and reflecting on the work of spring and summer as you look on to winter. 

       Winter. I see this in my grandparents. The life of winter is quiet and lonely. There are a few who fight the cold and make us see the beauty in winter. Winter brings sleep, hibernation, and reflection. I see people in their winter longing for the days of spring and summer when so much lay ahead of them. Many of their friends and loved ones have already fallen asleep and await the eternal spring awakening. We summer people can bring warmth to the winter. Let them know you care. Some defy the winter and go out in the cold and show us the little things that there is still much joy to be found in. Winter is a season of wisdom. All the seasons have passed and there is so much knowledge there. Soon the winter ones fall asleep and will be awakened to an eternal spring. Eternal spring. Doesn't sound so bad, does it? 

        Make the most of the season you are in. Plant your seeds, tend them, watch them bloom. And do not fear winter, because winter brings spring.