Do You Dread Winter?

 

Do you sometimes dread winter? I admit that I do. I mean, it’s beautiful to look at from the comfort of my window, but the realities of navigating snowy roads, staying warm, walking on icy sidewalks, helping my husband avoid mishaps in his wheelchair, the very short days, the dogs coming inside all encrusted with snow and making a mess everywhere, and the relative isolation that snow and ice sometimes impose on us make me long for spring.

And yet—autumn! For sheer awe, it’s my favorite time of year. Every day when I see the changing colors, I am pierced with the glory of God and his love for me, that he would have planned in advance for that particular tree to make my heart sing on this particular day! Every day is a new adventure, a revolving cacophony of vibrant color, alive with leaves that seem to glow with their own inner light. About the time all that fades, mid to late November, we have Thanksgiving and Advent and Christmas to fill in the time until we reach the solstice.

And then the days start getting longer again! We can do this! We can survive winter! Things are already getting better before we have even begun to worry about getting through the short days and cold temperatures. Because of that faithful changing of the seasons, and the hope and joy that each season uniquely embodies, when I get to October, I’m already thinking, “Only two more months until the days start getting longer!”

Whether it’s winter you dread, or an upcoming medical procedure, or a difficult decision you have to make, or something else, God’s promise in autumn seems to say: “There is life on the other side. It won’t be long now. You will make it because I am creating beauty and hope all along the way.” Isn’t God good?