The Soft Winter

Here we are, having crossed the threshold into winter. The joy of a sunny weekend after a week of rain has brought on all the joy needed to get me through the usual responsibilities, making them enjoyable once again. It’s amazing how some sunlight and an open window can remind you of what you love about your home.

Maybe I am easily pleased, but a fresh breeze through the kitchen sets the world right again. The heaviness of the week is shaken off as multiple loads of laundry are put on, and clothes are folded and put away without complaint.

The Little Things matter in winter. When it is cold, and dark, and dreary, we need warmth, and light, and joy. A neatly made bed will be more inviting than a crumpled blanket lying in a heap. A candle lit on a clean kitchen counter will bring more peace than a stack of dirty dishes. Yes, there is the natural cycle of cleaning and making mess, then cleaning it all up again. There will always be moments of mess, and dirt. There will always be things to do, or things that could be improved.

But remembering what makes a home warm and light will make it easier to get through those tasks that are less than glamorous. I rarely feel like washing the dishes, but I know how I feel when I walk in through the door and see a cleared kitchen bench. A clean counter invites a vase of flowers and cup of tea (which then needs to be washed – and so the cycle continues).

I did not find it easy travelling to work in the heavy rain over this past fortnight. The days were longer, colder, a bit more tense. But what was a delight was the hot shower when I got home and the home sewn blanket I keep on the back of the lounge. I was more appreciative of those small, cosy parts of the home in comparison to the dark, cloudy days. I was so thankful to God that I had protection from the weather.

While I do love the long days of summer, with those warm, light evenings, winter’s invitation should not be ignored. It is different, and I know many can struggle, but there is goodness here, too. Winter reminds me of waiting, and reflecting. It reminds me that though we do not always see the movements of God, we know that He is doing something for us and for those around us. The stillness may seem discouraging at times, but nothing is wasted. Winter is a time of faith; to trust and have hope for what we cannot see, even in parts of our lives that seem hopeless or barren.

God is good in every season, both in what He is doing in our lives and what we physically see around us. I have known many beautiful moments already in autumn – the water I walk by on the way to work has glimmered, the birds have flown by in flocks. And yesterday, hanging clothes on the line in the sun– how grateful I was!

I frequently pray for my heart to remain soft, towards God and towards others. There are times when I want to tend towards offence or bitterness, or that question of “why me”. But softness sees what is good. Softness lets go of what is not pleasing to the Lord. Softness surrenders and knows joy. Softness walks with the seasons and doesn’t fight them.

Sarah xx