Tuesday, October 13, 2009

wind and rain


It is a prematurely dark, cold and windy October day...welcome to fall ("hello, winter; I can see you peeking around the corner").

But I like it. I like the sound. I like the feel of the briskness. It signals the arrival of a new season. And I like the seasons.

My wife recently reminded me that in winter I cannot wait for it to be spring and in the spring I cannot wait for summer to arrive and in the summer I cannot wait for the fall and... you get the picture. It seems as if I am never satisfied.

But that is not totally true. I embrace every season when it arrives, though I like some better than the others. The crisp days of early summer and early fall are hard to beat and the red hot days of summer and blistery cold days of winter are not my favorites. But each season has its own charm and appeal, and I welcome them when they come...though I am ready for a new season when each has run its course.

There's a bit of real life in that scenario. Life certainly has its seasons--days that are crisp with excitement and anticipation and others that are hot with tension--others, cold with disappointment. But they are to be welcomed--all of them. James 1 says we are to "Consider it all joy...when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance..." When the season of testing comes we know that it brings with it something we need. The winter brings needed rain, the summer covers the earth with life-giving nurture and warmth and grows towards fall's harvest. What is produced is a good thing, just as our trials allow our endurance to be shaped and molded for the long haul.

I am buttoning uo my jacket and heading out with wind whistling at me. Rain is ready and eager to pelt my face with its cold moisture.

And I welcome it today.

1 comment:

Jim Floyd said...

I love the seasons also. Even the late season of my life at age 65.