Seasons

In the fall, when the wind blows out of the west, my yard fills with leaves. My neighbors across the street have a huge oak tree, and every fall most of their leaves end up in my front yard. My treeless front yard. Last year we filled ten leaf bags with oak leaves.

In the winter, when the plows go down our street they create a huge mound of snow at the end of our driveway. It collects because our house is located where two streets meet to form a "T". Last year we helped six cars get unstuck from the big pile after they took the turn too fast and slid.

In the spring, the sewer drain at the end of our driveway clogs, resulting in a huge muddy puddle that attracts all the younger neighborhood kids (and my dog).

In the summer, because we have a large intersection and a street light in front of our house, the street is filled with kids until 10pm or later. It's hard to go to sleep because they play street hockey and "Ghosts in the Graveyard".

In the fall, when I am out raking leaves, I meet my new neighbors, and talk to the neighbors I already know.  My kids round up their friends to help, all on their own, and they feel good about helping.

In the winter, when cars get stuck, my kids and husband go out and help. My boys learn how important it is to help people, even people you don't know, even people who may have been driving too fast and got themselves into the situation. Again, we meet our neighbors.

In the spring, when everything is muddy, I love the thunderstorms, and the smell of rain and worms, and eagerly watch for new green life to pop out from the dirt.

In the summer, I am thankful that my kids choose to be outside with friends over the Xbox or iPad. I bring out popsicles and my five year old neighbor tells me a knock knock joke.

So now it's fall again, and I'm raking those stupid oak leaves. Every season brings predictable change. Sometimes huge change impacts our lives, something we could not have predicted, change we can do nothing about. We have to deal with it, just like the seasons. My mantra during times of great change has been "There's nothing I can do to change this, so I have to make this work." Because I believe in God, and that he has a plan and a purpose for me, I rely heavily on my faith. I trust that God has good things planned for me, and times of suffering and trouble are times when God is working on me and growing me, working for my good. Difficult people are sandpaper smoothing my rough edges. 

As things get cold and die off, we can be sure that, in a season, new life and growth is on its way. In some ways things will be different than last season, as life goes on and brings new discoveries. Instead of looking back at seasons past, I will try to keep my eyes focused forward, waiting for new possibilities, where God is showing me green buds and everything smells like rain.