I was just thinking…
I WAS JUST THINKING . . .
Just recently, I wrote an article extolling the loveliness of nature. I remarked on how we go through our lives, at least some of us and some of the time, without taking time to let the sense of the presence of God come as we make connection with the natural world. And yet, now it is becoming winter. Soon the temperatures will be even colder. Soon the blankets of snow will visit. Already the frost has come upon us, and the plants are shriveled and nearly gone. The trees have let go of their leaves. And the birds have made their V’s of flight as they head south. One could look at the world as barren and lifeless.
And yet, even a winter is not barren and lifeless. I know that we have times in our lives that can feel such barrenness and lifelessness. This could be one of those times. Times come that seem as if nothing is going right. Times come that seem as if even friendship has turned sour. Times come that nothing seems to suit anybody, and people are snappish and selfish. Times come that even making soup does not come out correctly! Misery is rampant! And yet, as I said before, winter is not barren and lifeless. Times such as these are not without their own redeeming qualities, if we but look.
You see, the little seedlings are gradually shedding their coats, and they are undergoing all that must happen to them before they push up above ground. The leaves are mulching into fertilizer for the coming spring. Friendships may learn to be refreshed and redeemed and be even richer and deeper. People’s attitudes can be soothed into Christmas and the New Year. If one keeps trying, one’s soups come out hearty and meaty or zesty or thick with milk and potatoes and sausages or full of delicious macaroni and vegetables. And winter can be even more. Listen to music and let God speak to you. Pray and praise and be calmed and peaceful. Walk in the quiet of the snow and let it crunch its delight beneath your feet. Curl up with a good book and let your thoughts run amok! Extend a helping hand to a neighbor and maybe that will result in a cup of tea or coffee and some excellent conversation. Sleep an hour more some morning and revel in the feel of the covers around you, making you cozy and warm.
So what does that tell us? Be thankful for winter. Be thankful for the cold and the snow and the season of rest. Be thankful for the growth that is happening quietly, unseen below the ground, being ready for the springtime, the summer, and the harvest. Be thankful for the cold nights that can be occasions for sitting around the fire and sharing stories and making delicious soups. Be thankful that God has given us the wintertime for peace and good books and listening for the voice of God speaking through this time of solitude and silence and rest. Be thankful for winter for it is as necessary in the scheme of things as are all the other seasons.
Think about this. Even Jesus had a season of rest and quiet in a cold tomb before he appeared once more to the people he loved. The time of the tomb was a time for him of becoming not just a human sent from God, but a messenger of good news of victory over death and coming eternal life! The time of the tomb was preparation for something greater which was to come! Welcome winter with open arms, for it, too, is preparation for all that is to come, all that is greater and more glorious! May you be restored, refreshed, and renewed in this wintertime, my dear friends! AMEN
Grace and peace to all,
Sonja Griffith, District Executive Minister