19 October 2008

Greetings Friends!

As I write this week, which is a week before this will be published, it’s a dreary, cloudy autumn day. Outside my window are the last few roses clinging to the bushes, some leafless shrubs, fields of corn that have already been harvested leaving cornstalk stubbles amid a mass of brown. These are sure signs of winters’ inevitable approach during which one often really has to search in a determined way to find signs of life and growth in nature. The older I get, the more I dislike winter – the snowy and icy roads, the cold, the cloudy days, the howling wind. And yet, I have to remind myself that winter is nature’s resting period where strength is gained for the new life that will emerge in spring.

From where I sit this afternoon, I can see one small tree which is barely noticeable. But when I do take the time to really notice, this tree is filled with many colored leaves. And on a dreary day such as today, this little tree shouts out with its vivid color that there is hope. It is a very tangible reminder that with the onset of autumn and the approach of winter, there remains the promise that spring will indeed follow with its own colors, freshness and brightness.

In our darkest times, whether illness, grief, financial difficulties, or spiritual dryness, God is always with us – even when we do not consciously sense God’s presence. God is with us in both the dark and light loving us with an abundant and relentless love, walking with us every moment of our lives.

May we walk through the seasons of our lives together comforted by God’s constant companionship.

Peace on the Journey.