Someone Hand Me a Sweater

For anyone that has spent approximately .2 seconds with me, there is one pretty easy observation to make. I am always cold. I’m that girl that has a space heater under her desk at the office because the A/C is “too cold” (p.s. I have zero shame about it). A few years back, I was in Arizona with my family. We were driving on the interstate and one of my family members made the observation that while everyone was in shorts and t-shirts, I was in a sweatshirt… with a blanket on my lap. So why is all of this relevant?

I’m a perpetually cold person, I live in Nebraska, and it’s March. I think it goes without saying, I have about had it with the snow, wind, ice, and cold. I’m over it. A few days ago, I walked out of work and it was 55 degrees outside. My heart LEAPT for joy. As I drove home with my music blaring and windows down, my nose caught a whiff of one of the most beautiful scents. I smelled hot dogs on the grill.

I wish I were joking when I say this, but I had an actual tear roll out of my eye. I was so overcome with excitement and joy that I actually cried at the scent of a grill. As I continued to drive, loving life in spite of the heavy traffic and Swiss cheese roads (potholes, man) I started to get a little introspective.

As much as I hate the cold, ice, and snow, I would never want to live anywhere where it is warm all the time. Sure, I would never have to spend 15 minutes scraping my windows in the morning. I would always be able to ask “Can I sit on the patio?” when I went to a restaurant. I would be able to wear cute sundresses all the time, but I would be missing out. As I drove I realized the significant role that seasons play in my life.

I don’t think that I would be as excited about the gorgeous spring weather if it weren’t for the months of freezing temperatures that preceded it. Life is a lot like that. In a song, Seasons, by Hillsong, the lyrics drive home the role that seasons play in our growth. We are taken through seasons that grow and shape us in ways that we never could have done on our own. Like the sun melts the snow and causes growth, God shines and breathes new life into us.

God has been richly working in my personal seasons, and He has been working in them throughout my whole life. I’m glad that I live in a region of the U.S. that goes through many seasons (sometimes even in one week) to remind me to be thankful and joyful that, oftentimes, the most beautiful growth happens just after a long winter.

Don't let the snow fool you. It was beautiful outside.