Seasons

And on the seventh day, God rested. Whew - He was one busy man. He created everything just for us - His children.

I've been living in my current place for almost 18 months now, and therefore, have witnessed all of the seasons. I moved in during Spring, the leaves were just starting to unfold on their branches. The daffodils were blooming, as the birds were flying about from their nests to the trees, just waiting for their little ones to hatch. There was a nest above my porch light. The momma robin would scream at me every time I went in and out of my front door. She would fly out of her nest and flutter about five feet away, just waiting for me to get out of her way, so she could return to her eggs, to protect them.

But as much as I wanted to help her protect her little ones, the mess she created on my sidewalk and around the porch light was not so nice, as if someone had gotten hold of a can of white spray paint. It became a nuisance for any visitors. The alternative was to have everyone walk through my garage and come in through the laundry room. Not very pleasant either.

One day I decided to invite my new neighbors over to a Tupperware party. To prepare, I spent some time cleaning up the front entrance which also meant that I decided to move the nest to a tree in a wooded area. I cleaned up the light and the side of the house, and scrubbed the sidewalk. I was all ready for the guests to come. I had allowed the Tupperware lady to enter through the garage, so because I had left my garage door up, everyone came in through the laundry room. All that work, and they didn't even come in the front door. Thankfully, I did lead them out that way after the party. And after a few days, the robin was able to locate her nest. She wasn't too happy with me, understandably, as I was trying to make a good impression with my new neighbors and didn't want the robin to startle them away.

Summer came and went, and soon the leaves were changing colors and falling down to cover the grass. I have been blessed to be able to live in a development which provides some maintenance, so as lawn mowing, leaf raking and blowing, and even snow plowing. I love sitting in a chair in my bedroom and looking out the window at the nature God had created. Not a day goes by that I don't see a squirrel, usually being chased by a chipmunk - around the trees and through the grass, and sometimes along the garden border (which is like a wooden rail). It's amazing to watch the squirrels jump from tree to tree and even on the skinniest of branches. You wonder if they're even going to hold them - you expect the to fall - but then off they go - onto another one. Such entertainment God provided that doesn't have to be plugged into any circuits. Gotta love what He has done for us. I was able to witness a fawn this year, outside my window, less than 20 ft from my house. I've seen turkeys around the neighborhood, and some have reported seeing bears, also. I suppose we shouldn't be surprised to see the wild animals at our homes, since we took away their homes to make ours. But God is good - and still provides for all of us.

Even in the winter time, which is the least favorite around here, yet everyone is still here. I always comment to others when I hear them complain - "then why are you still living here?" I like the snow, I just don't love driving in it. When we get a good snow - good packing snow, I'm waiting to go out and play in it. Last year the snow just wasn't packable - til it started to melt. But even though it was, it didn't roll. So there I was with my shovel, out in the yard - lifting up wet snow - about 12 inches thick and making the biggest pile of snow I could handle. And then I carved out a snowman. It was funny looking, but it was cute. And of course, I put it in view of my bedroom window.

To love all the seasons, including the coldest one, is why I love living here in Meadville, PA. You get them all, though maybe not as much summer as we would like. Winter tends to come early and leave late. But there are so many beautiful things the snow can make - like the first snowfall on all of the branches - with the sun light glittering through the snowflakes. When you think about each snow flake - all originals. Amazing. Even an occasional ice storm can capture a photo worth taking. There is beauty in everything God created - even thunderstorms, which are not my favorite. But I've seen some amazing displays of lightning - almost more thrilling than a fireworks show. And the clouds that form tornadoes - photos of wall clouds, funnels, even the eye of a tornado or a hurricane - breathtaking. (Thankfully, I haven't experience a tornado yet.)

My favorite season is Spring - when the buds start popping out - from branches or stems. The first crocuses around the dogwood trees. Even a spring snow is nice. And when the weather warms up - the showers and walking through puddles. Yes, you're never too old to do that.

God created all of this beauty and more for us to enjoy everyday. You wonder though, how many people just pass it by without a thought or a wonder. People who live next to the Rocky Mountains but have never traveled into them; or those who live within driving distance to the ocean but miss opportunities to watch the tides roll in and out. Nature is all around us - even those who live in the bigger cities spot an occasional deer running into a toy store or a flock of geese flying south for the winter. Don't let the days pass you by without noticing what God has provided - use your senses to grasp the full meaning of life - the smells, the sounds, the sights, even the touches. It's all there for us - because He loves us.