Seasons…

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens – Ecclesiastes 3:1

I’ve been thinking a lot about seasons lately.  Here in the desert, we don’t really get seasons.  We have hot, hotter, and “my biscuits are burnin’!”  It’s actually not bad right now.  Cold-ish at night, and a little chilly in the mornings, but it’s glorious because the sun is shining, and it’s just beautiful!  This post isn’t about the weather though.  It’s not those kinds of seasons I want to talk about, but seasons of life.

I started my Christmas cards this week.  Mind you, I haven’t stamped since the spring.  Just haven’t had my creative groove, so to speak.  I dropped as a Stampin’ Up! ® Demonstrator around that time, and just didn’t feel like stampin’.  There are always excuses to not do things, “I’m too busy with homework”, “We’re looking for a house”, “we’re moving”, “the kids are going on a trip”, “we have company”, etc. etc.  All those were just excuses though.  Honestly I was avoiding stamping.  I didn’t realize that until I started my Christmas cards this week.  First, a friend came by, and I was showing her a couple of things, and when she left, I realized how much I’ve missed having classes.  Then I started stamping my own cards, and man, it hit me like a ton of bricks, I’ve REALLY missed this.  That got me to thinking though, about the seasons of life.  How things change, how God is in control, and how He knows how we are going to feel about certain changes as we are going through them, but holds onto us so tightly until we come out the other side of the change.

A major change that happened a little over a year ago was us moving here to the desert.  I was excited about the move, but once we got here, I went through a period of depression.  I knew no one, I had no friends, I missed my family and friends at home, I missed our church family, and I just didn’t know what I was doing here.  I knew that I had to hold onto God though.  Just like He always does, He brought me through that dark period.  He led us to a new church, where we have made some wonderful new friends.  I started school, something I’ve wanted to do for years!  God is so GOOD!  But then, another change, Donovan got sick.  If you’ve read my blog for any amount of time, you know some of what we went through last January, if you’re not familiar with it, you can find posts in my blog, or better yet, just go to Donovan’s Blog.  Donovan was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre’ syndrome and spent a total of 35 days in the hospital.  I don’t know how we would have made it through that time without the LORD to guide us and care for us.  I discovered strength that I had no idea I had.  I don’t think; no, I know it wasn’t my strength though, it was the strength of the LORD that got me through that.  He provided everything we needed during that time.  What could have been terrifying and such an anxious time for me turned into one of the most wonderful times of my life.  I drew closer to God than I have ever been.  I learned what it means to depend on Him alone for everything.  Donovan has healed, mostly.  He still has some numbness in his feet, and we discovered a heart issue that he has, he gets tired easily, and cannot do as much as he could before.  What are those things though, compared to what God gifted us with?

Changes, they happen all the time.  We can be afraid of them, we can be angry about them, we can resign ourselves to them, there are so many different ways to deal with change.  I choose to embrace the changes that come into my life.  I choose to let God guide me, taking me where He would have me.  Showing me and teaching me so much about Him, His character, His heart, His love.  Every change that comes doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a new season in your life, but it could be.  Why be afraid of new seasons?  Some bring snow, rain, winds, but ultimately, it all comes back around to a season of beauty, of flowers, sunshine, of joy.  Bring on the new seasons Lord, guide me and prepare me through the rain, for the flowers that I know are to come…

in Him,

Tricia