Starting over, a time of renewal and growth

"I'm coming by on your left," I heard the bicyclist warn. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Many were on the city walking/riding trail. I quickly moved aside and gave the apparatus and its rider room to get by.

It was wonderful to forget the cold weather and dirty snow that had clothed the streets and roads. Spring is right around the corner -- a time of renewal and growth, when everything becomes new again. I gave a sigh of joy just thinking about it. As I walked quickly along the winding, tree-laden path, I noticed everybody I passed smiled at me, and most threw a greeting of "hi."

"My," I thought, "You can tell everybody is happy to get outdoors and enjoy God's bountiful beauty -- the warmth of the sun and the just-right temperatures."

Winter is, one would hope, over, and better times are ahead. Fortunately, the cold weather seldom keeps me home, although I don't carelessly venture out when my daring may cause unnecessary problems for the road crews.

I try to realize the snow, ice and other undesirable weather have a purpose. I like to get out, but I have to remind myself it's good for me to be forced to settle down at home and make the best of things. So I tried, during the time of our winter wonderland, to enjoy the different pace.

Children were home from school, which meant they had time on their hands. The experience proved less stressful than I had anticipated, and I felt I grew in tolerance as I halted my usual activities and substituted different ones. Since I feel everything happens for a reason, God's reasons, I could adjust, and even enjoy, the elongated sleep times and merely filling my time with whatever I could come up with.

After the weather became pleasant, I was glad I had been shoved into a different lifestyle for a while. When you're forced to perform that which you dislike, you become stronger. You know you can do whatever you must.

That knowledge gives you a sense of freedom and happiness. You become a new person, just as nature brings forth new foliage and seeds. Then you can be ready to start again, clad with a new perspective and courage to persevere.

Everything continually starts over, so whatever is happening in your life, know you can get through it. To pray is important, and the belief God will hear and answer. He is truly in charge of the snow, rain, sun and wind. Simply having that higher power to talk with, and the knowledge someone much larger than you is in charge of everything, lifts your spirits.

Your choices determine the direction your life will take, but you have a friend, helper and Father by your side when you call on Him. Sometimes you become discouraged when you think your prayers aren't being answered, but you must continue to be persistent in prayer and in doing all you can, physically and mentally.

"God works on an unseen plain, but it's our job to keep asking and believing," said author Emmet Fox. God, too, starts over and over again with us. "When we persist and fail to give up, it is evidence of our faith. We are affirming that God will make His answer plain" (Fox). Like the beautiful sunshine I experienced on my walk, God's presence brightens your way and warms your spirits.