A great lesson from the Creation is that there is beauty to be found in every season of life. We probably all have a favorite season of the year. But as we open our hearts to the wonders of creation and learn to pay attention, we can find beauty in every season.
Spring for me is a time of wildflowers. I know when the blue speedwell opens, when the purple deadnettle sends up its spires, and when lesser celandine spreads its carpet of gold beside the creek.
It is also a time of daffodils, where every golden and white flower is like a trumpet proclaiming the resurrection of the Lord at Easter.
And the tulips – the incredible display of color that captures the splendor of the rainbow. Some are soft and pastel, others vibrant and bold. There’s simply nothing like them!
Then comes summer. There is no end to the flowers that bloom. Gardens burst with lilies, roses spread their fragrance, and water lilies float on the surface of ponds.
The summer brings the promise of glorious beaches. Sun, waves, and my favorite sanderlings running along the shore in search of minute meals tucked amid the grains of sand.
The fall brings welcome coolness and a stunning burst of fiery colors. My favorite backyard birds return to the feeders that I put out each autumn, and I have fun with displays of bizarrely-shaped gourds and fat, round, orange pumpkins.
I enjoy the seeds that come in this cool season of the year – the prickly burdock down by the creek, and the milkweed wishes that blow on the wind.
And finally, the winter. The stark simplicity of snow is brightened by a flurry of wings in my yard as my feeders get emptied with remarkable rapidity each day. Occasional ice storms transform the yard into crystalline splendor.
And the ice – at the nearby creek, the ice takes wondrous shapes and forms, bubbles are captured in its depth, and I revel in the fantasy of a winter wonderland.
Now, take these images and think about your life. There are many seasons in our lives. We have springtime where new opportunities are born and thrive. We enjoy the plenty and bounty of summer. We experience the cool of autumn where some things come to an end. And there are the days of winter where life seems cold and empty.
But just as every season of the year has a beauty all its own, so every season of our lives brings things to appreciate and opportunities to praise God for his goodness and his providence. And, just like the seasons of the year, we are never “stuck” where we are – the seasons turn and change. We will experience many springtimes throughout our lives. Many summers. Many autumns and winters. As we learn to embrace the beauty of each season in our life as it comes, we find ourselves overflowing with gratitude and worship. We develop wisdom and learn to live in grace. We find that the God of all seasons walks beside us through each day, and we learn to trust him fully.
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