spring

‘Tis The Season . . . For the Common Cold

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I may or may not be coming down with something. I’m not trying to catch a cold; I’m trying to avoid it if at all possible. I really don’t want to deal with being sick right now.

I had the flu last year, and I think once every five years is enough. I’d rather it be once every 10 years. Or never. That would be best.

But here I am, feeling blah, with a scratchy throat and an increasingly annoying cough. I won’t be running any marathons this weekend.

My usual course of action is to overdose on Vitamin C and drink lots of liquids. That has seemed to work in the past. It’s not 100% effective, but it sure is better than a cold.

That’s what happens when you live in Tennessee. It goes from spring-like to winter in less than a week. It’s rainy one day and sunny the next. All that adds up to colds and flus and general feelings of ickyness (that’s the scientific term for when there’s nothing actually wrong, but from the way you feel, there should be).

So forgive me if this feels mailed in. Creativity and blah don’t really mix that well. Hopefully in a couple of days I will be back to 100%. Then I will have no excuse for bad writing.

So be sure to keep hand sanitizer handy at all times and don’t drink after anyone who’s sick. Oh, and take two C’s and call me in the morning.

I Love the Winter Weather

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My car windows were frosted over this morning. It was that cold.

Normally, I would have taken about two minutes to scrape off the ice, but I decided earlier this year to get rid of my window scraper because it was broken. A decision that in hindsight wasn’t the smartest one I’ve ever made.

So I drove to work with the windows frosted over and the defroster on high, hoping the ice would thaw before I ran into any real traffic. Not my most shining moment ever. And I made it safely with no incidents.

Winter is a good reminder of the spiritual life. At some point, all of us go into winter mode– a kind of season of waiting where there’s no outward change or growth. It seems like everything is dead and nothing will ever come back, but this is the season of preparation for the spring yet to come.

Sometimes, God puts us through seasons of waiting. Seasons of pruning and refining. The process can be painful and seem to last forever, but don’t lose heart. Your spring is coming.

And yes, I’m going to Advance Auto Parts and buy a window scraper. Soon.

Ready for Fall

/ Ragamuffingospelfan / 1 Comment

I have had enough of summer weather. There. I’ve said it. No more 95 degree temps, please.

I want some crisp autumn breezes. I want to see leaves changing colors. I want hot apple cider and hot cocoa and bonfires and all those things that come with fall weather.

Not that I don’t like summer. Usually for about 2 weeks, then I start getting tired of being hot and sweaty all the time. And believe me, I do sweat a lot, so it’s not fun.

I think the reason I love fall so much is that it triggers so many good memories for me. I go back to all those marching band trips and high school football games and youth retreats of yore. I remember all those fun Halloweens when I was growing up. I recall Gatlinburg in October when it was cold enough to finally wear a jacket.

I won’t lie. If I could live in a place where the temperature was a steady 72 all year round, I could go for that. Especially someplace near the beach, like San Diego. That would be awesome.

But part of me likes the changing seasons. It’s probably the ADD in me that likes the change.

Most of all, autumn reminds me that after all the leaves have fallen and that winter’s on its way, there will be a spring and a rebirth of all things green. Just like one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth. I hope the new earth has leaves that change colors and fall every year.

I like fall because I am a fan of hope. And fall reminds me that my hope in God won’t be in vain. One day, God will set things right and everything in my life will make sense. One day I will finally be all that God created me to be.

Until then I make do with trusting God for today and enjoying the fall-ish weather we’re having in the Greater Nashville area. It’s lovely.