In the Bleak Midwinter

When I looked out of the window and viewed the winter landscape, the words to a more unknown Christmas Carol came to my mind, “In the Bleak Mid-Winter”. Before the “Blizzard of 2016”, the garden was brown with no color or life. It had been plowed by my good husband in November before the ground started freezing. If he had not plowed it, there would have been green, cool weather weeds growing. Brown stalks would be reminders of the frosted tomato and okra plants.
Plowing the ground is beneficial in several ways. The plow digs deep, uproots the dead plants and weeds and covers them with soil. A new beginning! How I love the feeling of a clean, new beginning. When I allow the Holy Spirit to uproot wrong attitudes in my heart and mind and repent of them and ask forgiveness which is offered by Jesus, there is a cleansing, and those ugly thoughts don’t keep poking around. A new beginning!
Plowing under the once fruitful plants allows the soil to be ready for a new season of planting. As I thought about how that relates to my life, I considered activities that were great for last season but need to be ended since they had fulfilled their purpose and were no longer bearing fruit. This is exciting to realize because I was wondering how I should be spending my time since I no longer am leading a women’s group. My schedule looked rather dull like the brown earth in my garden.
So even if the garden is rather bleak looking, it is in a state of rest. The ground is freezing and thawing which allows hard areas to break apart. So I will rest in this season and allow my spirit and soul to be prepared for the next season.