Gratituesday - Winter

Living in Florida I really have no concept of winter. At least not the kind of winter folks in Minnesota know. I've grown up knowing many Christmas and New Year's days on which I could wear shorts or even go to the beach.

This year, though, we've had a bit of winter.

It's really been funny in some ways. Our "winter" has consisted of several weeks at this point. During which I've been quite amused to sit back and watch all of the comments by my FL friends revolve around the bitter chill we are struggling against day in and day out and when will it end?! :)

Other than our temporary personal discomfort, I have seen some lasting effects of our winter. I noticed some of them just last week on my afternoon walk.

Plants all over my neighborhood are no longer fresh and green looking. They are instead brown and wilted and miserable looking from the effects of frost.

As I was noting this on my walk two thoughts came to me. The first?

Spring is going to ROCK this year!!! My absolute favorite season of the year is spring with its newness and life and color. I love it! And I love it even more when it follows a dark, cold winter. It makes it that much more to appreciate. So, this year, after the cold winter we've had, spring is going to be amazing!

My next thought was as I passed a particular house. (please note, I'm about to sound really snobby and judgmental so if that sort of thing offends you you might want to stop reading now.) As I began to pass this house I heard myself think - Well, they really could use this cold winter to kill off some of that overgrown jungle they have going on in their yard!

No sooner had the thought passed through my mind as I felt very convicted. I wonder, how often God could say the same of my life?

I know that it is in the winters of my soul that God is able to sort through the overgrown junk I have been holding on to and kill it off and make room for new life.

So, in my neighborhood and in my life, in a real, deep and sober way I am very grateful for winter. After winter comes spring... and this spring is going to ROCK!

[image by Ava aka GeorgiaOnMyMind]