Changing Seasons

I was thinking about the change of seasons this morning as I was up way before the sun was. Most of the time I'm looking ahead noticing the approach of the winds of change. Sometimes it's with anticipation and sometimes it's with sadness. But I realized that while the upcoming season is giving you hints of its arrival, the ending season is doing the same.

Take this winter, for instance. We don't see scenes like this anymore around the city.





While there may not be flowers yet, we have seen the sun more often and for longer periods of time.



The same is true with the seasons in our lives. Going through our family pictures for Michael's rehearsal dinner slide show has been a very vivid reminder of how quickly time goes by with many seasons already over.











And while there might be heart tugs for the "good ole days", I would never want to stop the new seasons from coming.



Obviously, it's easy to be excited when new seasons bring things we like. I won't be complaining about warmer days and temperatures and the color green instead of gray. But I don't always appreciate the darkness and cold that certain seasons can bring and I think I miss out sometimes on the lessons they have to teach me.

It seems that our season in Baltimore might be coming to an end even as Michael is beginning a new one in his life. As Hamp and I are looking ahead and wondering what will be next, we're seeing signs around us that an ending is in sight. The knitting together of hearts that happens when God brings people together has been a reality for us here and while the roots aren't as deep, they're still there. I'm not a fan of uprooting, but sometimes it's necessary for the health and growth of what's being uprooted.

I had no clue how accurate Sam's words were when I chose them for the subtitle of my blog over a year ago. I find myself wondering anew in these days of change what kind of tale, indeed, we have fallen into.

Meanwhile, the pondering has to wait because there are last minute lists to make and errands to run. Tomorrow we leave for Boston driving in sunny weather and warming temperatures. It looks like God may choose to give us awesome conditions for the wedding and you'll hear no complaining from any of us. Spring is coming; it's just about here.