Seasons

¹"There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under the heavens:"

Ecclesiastes 3:1 

Good Morning!  It's a beautiful Thankful Thursday!  Today, I am particularly thankful for changing seasons.  In Genesis 1:14, God, ¹⁴"I command lights to appear in the sky and to separate day from night and to show the time for seasons, special days, and years." God created the seasons...four of them...Spring, Summer, Fall [Autumn] and Winter.  Everyone has a 'favorite' season.  My very favorite has always been Fall, however, this year I am leaning more towards Spring because I see LIFE when I think of Springtime.  Fall does have a downside...Winter follows and I greatly dislike Winter.  If I could have my way, Winter would be from Thanksgiving weekend until the week after New Year's...then Spring could start early! 

But, I digress...I am so very thankful for the changing seasons.  Genesis 8:22 says, ²²"As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat; winter and summer, day and night."  God has ordained the changing of the seasons.  As much as I dislike Winter...according to Scripture, as long as the earth exists, there will be Winter.  I just need to find something about Winter that I like.  Actually, I do love football and college basketball, so I guess that is what gets me through the long, cold winter.  I don't suppose it does any good to 'wish' Winter away.  And, to be honest, I believe that God did a much better job at creating the earth and it's seasons than I ever could. 

I know that there are people who live in places where the seasons don't change like they do in the center of the United States.  Places like San Diego, CA and Arizona and Florida don't have the same kind of seasons that we do in Kansas.  They still have the four seasons:  Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter, but our seasons, in Kansas, are quite different from each other.  In these other places, the seasons often run into each other and you don't know the difference between them.  Well, people that don't live there don't know the difference.  I'd bet that those people who live in Arizona know the difference between Summer and Winter in that climate. 

I have said many times that I would love to live in Arizona or Hawaii or whatever, but honestly, I don't think I would like to live in those places 365 days a year.  No, I don't care for Winter but I also don't think I would like for Christmas to be 75 or 80 degrees.  No, I think I am glad that God has me living in Kansas.  I like the change in the seasons.  It helps me to see God's handiwork in Creation.  I enjoy each 'change' because I know that God has ordained it.

Now that Spring has sprung and the trees are budding and flowering, I am in awe of the beauty that God has given us to enjoy.  Spring brings new life.  Maybe it's because I am getting older or perhaps I am just learning to appreciate God's Creation in a new way.  I don't know why, nor do I care.  All I care about is that God has created the changing of the seasons and I intend to fully take advantage of the beauty that He has given us to enjoy.  I am so thankful for the ability to see the changes, to smell the flowers and fresh air, to hear the birds chirping, to touch the beauty of Spring and to taste the freshness of God.

Are you thankful today?  Take a moment and look at the world around you and see God in it.  Be thankful for what He has blessed you with on this Thankful Thursday!

God bless,