Seasons change

When I think about the seasons, I have to say that my favorite is Spring.  I love spring because everything is fresh and new, it's not too hot nor is it too cold. Everything shows promise.  That is when I run around and plant flowers, fertilize the grass and spring-clean the house.  I just want to do it all when spring comes around. 

 Summer is too hot, the grass grows alot but the weeds grow faster and they seem to take over my yard.  I seem to work hard as ever to keep my yard looking nice and inviting.  Since the rain is scarce, the sun seems to burn the yard leaving scorch marks.  That is also when I seem to have to work the hardest to keep my flowers watered and growing. 

Then in the fall, I can bring in apples from apple trees, and my yard seems to catch a break.  The grass begins to rest and go dormant.   However, the trees need to be pruned before the leaves fall and the grass needs to be treated so that it can come back again in the spring without much prodding.  

Looking around during winter, it seems so dark and dreary.  My days are shorter, and darkness takes up most of the day.  It takes alot out of me too get going.  The trees look dead, all my flowers have withered away and even the lush green carpet of grass turns to bristling hay-like straw. 

It's the same with life.  When I embark on something new, I am really gung-ho.  Be it a new job, a new car, a new career and even my walk with Christ.  I wanted to work in all areas of the church, I wanted to know all aspects of that new job and I washed my new car every week.  I wanted to do everything and really be involved.  Then in the summer of life, the politics of the job crept up, and you notice that everything is not as shiny as it was when you started that job.  That commute may have doubled, your workload may be less manageable than when you started.  Or  your new car begins to require alot of maintenance to keep it up, seems like the more you fix it, the more it breaks.  Or the more you try to be Christ-like in your thinking and actions, the more you encounter situations that make you think things were easier before you were a Christian.  For example, before I was a Christian, I seemed to never need money.  I always seemed to have it, no matter my circumstances....or so I thought.  But I have found that I had it because I was working 7 days a week or I was working 2 jobs.  Although I have curved my wants, all my needs are being met.  Even when I think I am working harder at stuff, I'm not.  Growth requires pruning and watering.  It seemed easier before because my life was stagnant.  During the winter of my life, I have to still look for the bright spots, the sun.  No matter how short the time is the sun is up, it comes up everyday, even in the rain, the sun is still up, it is just hidden behind some clouds.  The same with bright spots, I realize that I have at least ONE bright spot everyday, and somedays I may have to look behind a cloud, but there is at least one daily.

Now when I seem to be having a difficult time in life, no matter what it is, I remember that there are four seasons for a reason.  If I had no bad patches, I  would never appreciate the hope spring brings, the hard work summer requires or the rewards that fall brings.  Man I sure am glad that seasons change.

links: digg this    del.icio.us    technorati    reddit