Fighting the Winter Blues

I. HATE. WINTER.

Anyone who knows me very well is not at all surprised by this statement. I don't like the cold. I don't like the snow. I don't like the ice. (I WILL begrudgingly confess that the snow is pretty when it is freshly fallen and bright white, but when you have to commute to work and you like to exercise outside winter is NOT your friend.)

Last winter during a particularly blustery, cold, and windy evening as I was heading to youth group I asked a friend, "When God said 'Do all things without grumbling and complaining.' in Philippians surely He did not mean to include Iowa winters in 'all things', right?" This person (who shall remain nameless) said, "NO! Definitely not!" (or something to that affect.) (*note - in all seriousness, I know, and this friend who said this knows that when God said ALL things He meant ALL things) However, I have used this as my excuse this winter to freely complain about the cold, the snow, the bad roads, winter trying to eat my car (aka sliding into the shoulder of a road and getting part way buried in a snow drift). Yes, I have been freely complaining and using my friend's answer as my excuse.

So, today, after a particularly long week (or seemingly long week anyway, one of my other friends likes to point out that time is never any longer or shorter than another time.... five minutes always lasts five minutes, one week always lasts one week, but seriously - sometimes it SEEMS like time either is flying by or dragging on and on and on and on - kind of like this bunny trail I just went on...) Anyway, I stopped at my friend Sharon's shop - Chickenshed Primitives in Huxley for $5.00 Fresh Flower Bouquet Friday and picked up a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers to brighten my apartment. Now, as long as I don't look out my window at the snow or pay attention to my cold fingers and toes I may be OK for the rest of the weekend anyway!

I have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend planned as well. My social media and TV break is going really well. God has been drawing me to Himself and showing me so many things. I have heard His voice in the stillness. I have felt His presence in the quiet. I have been reading, writing in my journal, enjoying time with friends, reflecting on what Easter is really all about - which brings us back to Spring. Spring-time is a time of newness of life. God has been doing amazing things in deadening the lies in my head and helping me to replace them with His Truth. He is doing an amazing, miraculous work in my heart and I am truly grateful. These flowers represent what God is doing in me - just like the roses will open up and bloom, He is causing His Spirit to bloom in my heart. The difference is, the flower will eventually die, but God's Spirit is ever alive in me and for that I am ever grateful.

With Gratitude,

Sherri