FROM "A LESSON LEARNED"
How many times have you heard the phrase "season's change?" We say it all the time. When we're facing a difficult decision, walking through the worst possible experience we can imagine or whether our child is simply putting us through the throws of the terrible twos...it's likely that our friends and family will attempt to lift our spirits with this simple phrase...season's change. We sometimes even repeat it to ourselves attempting to remind ourselves that "this too shall pass" and that if we just wait awhile life will bring us a new season with new blessings along with it. Just like life brings seasons so does our world. Literally, outside our front door, the seasons are constantly changing. Year in and year out, we can count on the fact that the sun, clouds, wind and air will constantly shift and change bringing us a new season every few months. Spring, summer, fall and winter. They are predictable, they are dependable and they are constant. Of course, there are things we all love about each of the four seasons but when we really think about the CHANGING of seasons I'm sure we can come up with more gripes then we can pluses. Think about it! When the weather is changing from winter to spring we begin to feel humidity creeping into the air. The ground turns mushy and muddy with the melting of the last snow and the roads are slushy. On the other hand, when the weather is changing from fall to winter we get frustrated with living through two seasons in every single day. When we walk out the door in the morning the air is crisp and cool and requires us to wear long sleeves or a jacket but by mid afternoon the outside temps have creeped into the mid 80's and we can break out our flip flops! Ugh! You really get the full frustration of the changing of seasons when you live in the south and you have to turn on both your A/C and your heater ALL...IN...THE...SAME...DAY...!!!! Talk about the changing of seasons!!!!
Lesson Learned?? Just like the physical seasons change, outside our windows every few months, life brings us a constant changing of seasons as well. Sometimes life puts us smack dab in the middle of the perfect summer day! The sun is shining, we're BBQing in the backyard with our closest friends and family and all you hear is the distant sound of kids giggling as they splash in the pool. Life couldn't be better. That beautiful summer day can come in the form of a job promotion, marriage proposal, the birth of a new baby or a variety of other things, but no matter the reason for your season suddenly landing you in the perfection and peacefulness of summer you are relishing the moment and it never occurs to you that a change in the seasons is blowing in on the winds above. Before you know it, life changes again. And not for the better. Whether you lose your job, lose a loved one or simply wake up on the wrong side of the bed suddenly you find yourself no longer in the warmth of the perfect summer day but instead you feel stranded in the deepest, darkest and coldest winter night you can imagine. It's snowing outside, the heater in your house is out and you just realized you're out of hot co-coa. You feel like the morning may never return. Soon, though, it's Christmas and the winter doesn't seem so bad. In fact, the morning did interrupt that cold, dark night! You got the heater fixed and you finally made it to the store for a new package of instant hot chocolate! Life is good. The snow is actually beautiful as you're bundled up next to a roaring fire watching a Christmas movie classic! Season's change. Each season comes with it's own fashion, it's own accessories and it's own exciting activities. When one season is turning into the next it can be frustrating. We have to work harder to feel comfortable during the transition and we often find ourselves loathing the change and wishing the weather would just make up its mind and move on to the next season already! Life seasons are exactly the same way. Nothing lasts forever. When we feel change on the horizon it can be exciting at first. Life has become mundane or you simply don't like the season you are living through and so welcome the coming change of pace. However, as your current life season moves into the next the change begins to become frustrating and even hurtful. Change isn't easy. We are often not ready or even willing to accept the change that is happening. It makes us angry, but change continues no matter our personal feelings. It's happening whether we like it or not. We get upset and feel sorry for ourselves. Soon, though, the change doesn't seem so bad. We get used to it! This new season of life brings about blessings and celebrations and many happy memories. The new season becomes comfortable and we enjoy ourselves again. We breathe. Unfortunately, we often get used to a season just in time for it to change once again. Life truly does imitate the world around us. I believe God did that on purpose. We can look almost anywhere and learn something that we can apply to our lives personally. We can gain both encouragement and strength from the nature that surrounds us. So, when you see the leaves change colors and fall from the trees and your allergies are flaring up causing you many sleepless nights and distracted days REMEMBER that Christmas is on the way!! Before you know it, the season's change will be complete and you'll be baking cookies with the kids or looking at lights in the neighborhood with your husband. Then when the snow begins to melt, the humidity returns and storm clouds appear on the horizon REMEMBER that soon enough the backyard grill will be fired up with ballpark franks sizzling for the upcoming neighborhood BBQ and the community pool will be open and buzzing with the happy sounds of the city. Season's change. They wax and wane with the ups and downs of temperature and the ups and downs of life. If you find yourself in the midst of a cold night and you're out of co-coa...hang on! Something new, a change, is just around the corner. On the same token, though, remember to make memories when the season's are good. Don't anticipate a season of negative change in your future. It will come, yes, but don't look for it. Enjoy that roaring fire, enjoy a cool spring rain, smile as you sip lemonade under the warm summer sun and jump in the leaves with your kids on a crisp fall day. Life is alive! It's moving! It's changing both for the good and the bad and all we can do is ride the winds as they come and as they go! Season's change!
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