seasons

Here are four things I love about Canada: winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Not living in Canada last year meant not seeing and being part of the seasons. Yet last week brought all four seasons together in a spectacular mixture of snow, slush, sun, and staggering leaves. I remember waking up early Tuesday morning and gazing outside momentarily before letting out a joyous shout announcing the arrival of the long-awaited white precipitation that characterizes the winter. I am also sure my sister ungratefully remembers the phone call before 7:00 am to inform her of the beautiful sight. Later that same day, I played outside with the children dancing and jumping in the puddles formed when the snow melted. The sun shone brightly, encouraging me to shed my fleece jacket and mittens. Then I watched as the leaves swirled around me in the fierce wind. We chased the leaves and maple keys then threw them up and watched as they surfed the wind sails.

Each season brings beauty, unpleasantness, inspiration, confusion, awe, normalcy, creativity, randomness, and wonder. My life also goes through seasons. There are cold and dark times when the chance encounter of light and and soft things bring comfort and play. There are persistent times of challenges where sometimes dreariness arrives and brings tears. Other times, sunshine arrives and brings hope. There are extended times of joy and fun and smiles. There are times of leaving the joy and plentiful and hoping for kindness, warmth, and love in a place of uncertainty and confusion.

As I prepare to say good-bye once again to my home in Ontario, I am filled with excitement, anxiety, wonder, confusion, and hope. This time, however, I am not moving to a new continent or a new culture or a new family. I am moving to Vancouver. I am moving to a season of intensity, peace, grace, change, and beauty. There will be challenges and fears. There will be loneliness and grief. But in all that I will see God's love transform my life, just as God's love transformed my life in Uganda.

Winter, spring, summer, and autumn. What an amazing arrangement of life and love pouring out from God's creation.