Music Blog 02-27-2025

MUSIC BLOG

02/27/2025

The Winter is Past

Song of Songs 2:10-12

New International Version

¹⁰ My beloved spoke and said to me,
    “Arise, my darling,
    my beautiful one, come with me.
¹¹ See! The winter is past;
    the rains are over and gone.
¹² Flowers appear on the earth;
    the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
    is heard in our land.

North Carolina had Winter this year! Not just a season marked by the equinox or calendar date.  We have Winter every year according to the calendar, but this year was markedly different.  We had been over 500 days without snow before this year.  That’s a long time.  Last year the winter was so mild that trees began to sprout leaves so early that I was afraid a late frost might kill the growth.  Winter without the cold and snow just seems like a very barren Fall.  I need that cold, I need that snow, just not a ton of it. In the south, snow and ice has the potential to shut a city down for a day.  People, me included, look forward to the reset.  We look forward to a break.  Parents with kids get to go outside and play, making memories and strengthening families.  Snow is a blessing in many ways if you don’t have to drive in it.

We had two significant snows this year.  The first cancelled work for both Ronda and I but we had other responsibilities to take care of.  We worked and baked and baked and worked the entire day.  We saw pictures on Facebook of our friends that loved ones that got out in the cold wet white stuff all bundled up, red cheeked, and smiles but we had a deadline.  One that we might not have met except for the snow.  So there’s that.

The second snow hit last week.  Our agenda was clear.  We had nothing to do or take care of.  For the first time in a long, long, time we sat on the couch, and poured out a puzzle on the coffee table and furiously worked to complete that puzzle.  The coffee pot was kept going all day, we had food in the cupboard and leftovers to consume.  We reset and rested. No, we didn’t finish the puzzle that day, but we continued to work on it in the next few days and I can proudly say that we completed it.

Like the scripture from Song of Solomon say, “The winter is past, the rains are over and gone, Flowers appear on the earth . . .” Now that we have had a taste of winter, I’m ready for Spring.  I’m longing to see the first daffodils, and then the tulips, rejoicing with their beautiful colors, proclaiming in their way, Praise to the Almighty God.  We are planting cold weather porch gardens in our senior meeting today.  Planting is a way of placing our trust in God, that spring is on the way and that He will take care of the plants if we do our part in the work.  God wants us to enjoy each season of life for the blessing inherent in each one.  Spring is beautiful and renewing, Summer is to get the work done and have some fun in the sun, Fall is for harvesting and preparing for the cold, and Winter allows us to reset, rest and prepare for Spring.  It’s not too late to get ready for the next season in your life.  God has you here for a purpose.  Whatever you are going through is your preparation for your next season.  Maybe it’s time to get off the pity wagon and jump on the blessing train.  Our pains and struggles are always greater when all we focus on is our pain and struggles, but if we allow God to move us to an outward focus, He begins to work in our lives and help us deal with our own struggles.  Dr. Martin reminded us that “where there is no preparation there is no growth.”  So, in the days remaining before the Spring comes, let’s prepare for a great planting and a great harvest. Blessings,

Marty