You Cannot Rush a Season.

This week I returned to exploring the Bangor City Forest with my son. I was able to purchase him some new snow boots, and my husbands snow pants fit me, so walah, I got Daniel and myself geared up to enjoy the elements.

Upon arriving at the forest, I was greeted by majestically snow coated trees, and a stillness that began to enter my soul. I remembered why I love coming to this place so much. It is removed, quiet, no unnecessary chatter or chaos, and still. The tranquility is exactly what my weary soul needed. As Daniel and I proceeded down the trail, he decided to lay in the snow. I asked him What are you doing, Daniel. Laying down Mum. Do you like laying down? Yes, Mum. Mum, please come and lay down with me and look at the sky. And so I did.

I had made a sarcastic comment on my earlier post about wanting to notice more than flower petals and snowflakes, that I wanted to see God actually move and care. Well, He called my bluff, bringing me back, yet again to His Creation to see the blessings in my life.  As I was laying in the snow looking at the sky, I noticed all the naked tree branches. I was thinking, well, thats not very pretty, those branches are missing their leaves. And then I looked closer. All the branches had buds on them, just waiting to burst forth with leaves. And then the thought came to me.

You Can Not Rush the Seasons.

"There is a time for EVERYTHING, and a season for EVERY ACTIVITY under heaven" Eccl 3:1

"He has made EVERYTHING beautiful in His Time" Eccl 3:11a

I have been trying to rush and fix the seasons in our lives. Like I have some sort of supernatural control of the Universe. I have been upset and discouraged. I have wanted things to go different ways than they have gone. I have even shaken the proverbial fist at God saying there is no way You can care and see all this.
And my reminder came in the tree buds. Thank you Ann Voskamp.
The unopened tree buds.
The tree buds will open, when in season.
The leaves will grow, when in season.
They will change color, when in season. And they will fall off the branches, when the season comes for those leaves to disappear. All of these seasons signify a change I have absolutely no control over. But the one who made the leaves does have the control, The Creator of the Leaves.

The Creator of the Robbins Nest sees our seasons. The seasons of birth and death. The season of planting and uprooting, killing and healing, tearing down and building, weeping and laughing! YES! mourning and dancing! YES!  and on and on and on.
Read Ecclesiastes Chapter 3. Such a Good Reminder of the Sovereignty of God.

Our Seasons in this life are under watchful care of the One Who Created Them.
All Of Them.

I would only choose good seasons, how about you? By good I mean Pain Free. However, I am learning even in our pain, we grow. We develop. We become better stewards of what we have been gifted with. We realize what is important, our focus is shifted in a more positive direction. We become ready for the next season. We become ready, at the right and perfect time, to Bloom when it is in season to bloom.
And this IS all seen by the One Who Created our Life Seasons.

Sigh.

And this, this realization from laying in the snow with my special blessing who draws me closer to God when I allow it. Come, Mum, come lay in the snow and look at the sky. Wow.

Thank You for this season. Thank you for what I am allowing myself to learn and accept. Thank you for the love you give me for others, even when the season of that love includes hurt.

I am growing from my Season.

Love from the Nest,
Julie