flourishing thru winter…

It’s been nearly two months since I’ve been inspired to write for the blog. Sorry to say I allowed the Winter doldrums to set in…

January is always a tough month. The let down after the holidays, the dreary days of Winter. I know I am not the only one who struggles through the first month of the year.

February hasn’t registered much differently than January. We now get days that are reminders of coming Spring, only to be followed by more gray, wintry weather. So, the month begins to feel like a roller coaster of glimmering hope mixed with lingering darkness. Anticipation cut short by apprehension of another cold front approaching.

The blah feelings that accompany Winter weather are not imagined. They are based on scientific fact and very real. While my head understands this, my heart simply longs for the sunshine and blossoming goodness of Spring. I focus on nurturing my indoor plants and getting natural light into every corner of the cottage. I gaze long and hard at photos and images of gardens bursting forth with blooms and greenery. I daydream of warmth and color. My thoughts run to trips in the fifth wheel and sitting outside in the evenings watching the sun set and the stars begin to twinkle above.

God’s Word tells us there is a season for everything. There is a time for the earth to lie dormant and rest before the season of blooming. Not only is this true in nature, but also in the heart. Perhaps this is the time for deeper reflection on matters of the soul; a time for digging in and praying for new direction and purpose. A time to prune away the dead, dying and unwanted to make room for new growth.

As the days grow longer and Spring draws near, my goal is not to only survive Winter, but to flourish throughout this season and into the one that I desire.

With each passing day, Lord, let me use the dormant time to seek your promise of what is to come. Prepare my heart for the sowing and ultimate harvest, according to your plans. Let me not be filled with despair, but with joy of what lies ahead, always mindful that this season will pass into the next.