Winter and Spring

I am often amazed at how we transition

from Winter into Spring. 

Just last month many were fed up

with the cold and the snow.
The dark mornings were too much for us to handle

many had this overwhelming feeling ...when will this end?

How much longer? 

Seriously , another snow storm?! 
How can you tell - I am not a winter girl. 

Have you ever found yourself in a  season

where you asked yourself

When will this end? 

How much longer? 

 I am sure you have. 

We too have had a season such as this.

We have been home now for four months.

What we experienced in Vietnam seems like a blur,

yet much of what we experienced is still so much with us.  

Some of our final paper work is now in our hands. 

Just in time to start the new paperwork. 

It is all a process, longer than most understand. 

At times we can taste the humid air and

remember the stress of just crossing the street.  

I am sure our boy wonders where the grass is

and where some of his favorite foods went to. 

Our girl misses her flip flops and her freedom. 

School is not co operating with her, she tells us. 

Our transition in the last four months have been both 

painful and joyful. 

And we do not want to forget the journey. 

We have endured sleepless nights and many days of the flu. 

We have had a tough go with the frigid cold temperatures and the reality of being isolated. 

I have wondered on many occasions, what will I do today? 

How will I get through this day?

Will the dark cloud over my head go away soon?  

We have had unknown behaviours that have

popped up and we try to navigate through that.

He is not himself.
Who knew a two year old could throw himself off 
the couch and scream for an hour straight...

She is not herself. 
Who knew she was smart enough to try to get 'expelled' she tells us so she can stay home...

And we have made mistakes. 

Many mistakes. 

Welcome to parent hood. 

Welcome to life. 

Welcome to ... 

Winter

Seemed like there were no breaks in the horizon. 

Felt like we could not breath for a while.
Things seemed hard. 

Things are not always what they seem to be.

We only show what we want others to see. 

Being vulnerable is costly. 

Yet sometimes we need to show our real selves. 

Sometimes we need to cry out. 

We need to reach out.

Then you will see that all of sudden 
out of the blue

a gentle breeze blows in.

The snow starts to melt.

The behaviours start to change.

School seems to be co operating again.

We start to feel like ourselves again and

the dark cloud is disappearing. 

My days seem to fill up quickly now. 

The nights are not so sleepless anymore.
530 am is really not THAT early. Right. 

Spring 

There is a promise in the air. 

I can feel it. 

There is Hope.

Today I want to leave you with some encouragement.  

If you are in a season where you are asking yourself

When will this end? 

How much longer? 

Do not be discouraged.
There is Hope. 

Spring always comes. 

Winter is a season and
a new season of Spring will come. 

Complicated times are season and
our new season of Hope will come. 

Don't lose Hope. Don't give up. 

He will never leave us or forsake us. 
He will carry us through. 
He is our Father. 
He loves us.
He cares for us.

Spring always comes. 

My Hope is in Him. 

" Sometimes, Lord,
the mountain I'm climbing
turns out to be only
a bump in the road...

Sometimes, Lord,
the crisis I'm in
is not much more
than a false impression...

Sometimes, Lord,
my greatest fear
isn't fear at all
but only my lack of trust in you...

Sometimes, Lord,
when I'm feeling most sad
it's because I've lost sight
of what makes me glad...

Sometimes, Lord,
when I'm lost and alone
the only way home
is to take your hand...

Sometimes, Lord,
when you seem far away
it's time for me
to find you in prayer...

And sometimes, Lord,
when prayer won't come,
what I need then is rest
in the silence we share...

Amen. "

Courtesy of: A Concord Pastor Comments

http://concordpastor.blogspot.ca/2018/04/pause-for-prayer-tuesday-424.html