Friday, January 1, 2010

Segues, Seeds, and Seasons

I ran across this post of mine from a few months back and thought my readers wouldn't mind a little re-run, as I thought it so appropos for New Years Day and the transition this time marks.  I truly hope it's meaningful to you again, or maybe for the first time.   Happy New Year, Everyone...



Seasons do eventually change no matter how endless things may feel, whether we desperately want things to stay the same or whether we're waiting with bated breath for something new...It is the nature of things, the way of life, ever evolving...

Sometimes we defy the transition so stubbornly, like a toddler throwing a tantrum when her parents insist on throwing out some favored but now ill-fitting garment, with no understanding that something newer, better, and much more comfortable is in the making and forthcoming. With that same futility and short-sightedness we hold on to bygone seasons with a mental vicegrip even after the season has grown old or stale or has ended all together, but, as my Mom use to say, "it doesn't matter if you wear your galoshes in the Summer, Honey, it isn't gonna make the Spring stay." We need to trust that as much as we loved the garment of the time gone by, however familiar and comfortable it was, there is something better in the making. Something that will fit our evolving life and that will foster further growth.

Of necessity the prior seasons that coddled us and were conducive to our growth must fall away to make possible the new life. But leaving these confines is not always easy, the space that felt so manageable, so secure, like a butterfly's cocoon. The transition, while natural, can be traumatic. It's so easy to feel disillusioned during these segues. We are uprooted from the old, but not quite yet rooted in the new. We are waiting to find our footing and even when we finally do, the new land can feel so foreign and we go through nothing less than culture-shock as we venture forward. New beginnings are rarely wrapped up pretty with a bow on top, but rather tend to be trademarked by screaming babies, shattered seeds, civil wars and the like.

During a devastating time of agonizing uncertainty in author Elisabeth Elliot's life, she recorded an instance where, completely distraught and disoriented, not knowing which way was up, she ran out to her back yard, sunk onto her knees and cried out to God for answers...The answer came...in the form of an acorn.

Her eyes fell on the little seed beneath her and the words that flooded her mind were these...

"When the acorn falls and is buried, all it knows is the falling and the darkness and the dying; it has no idea of the oak tree that's going to come out of it's life. If it did, the death would seem insignificant, and instead of fear there would be joyful abandonment into My plan. Look at the acorn and trust Me."

Perhaps it's time to let go of the crumbling scaffolding of past seasons...allow what has died to be buried, so that new life can come, so that we can see when it comes...

...it will surely come.


Look at the acorn and trust Me.

9 comments:

The Correspondent said...

Happy New Year, Hindsfeet!

Thanks for visiting at Barchester and lingering a while to get to know us. I've enjoyed my stay at Bird's Eye View and look forward to more of your posts this year.

Mockingbird said...

Great post, Hindsfeet! What a wonderful attitude with which to enter into this new year. Thanks for these words of encouragement!

Thanks also for stopping by our blog and commenting on my post!

~Mockingbird

Linda said...

I love your thoughts on seasons. I've reflected on such comparisons in the past as well and I'm finding it a refreshing and encouraging reminder today.

Hope your New Year is off to a great start. :)
Linda

Hindsfeet said...

Thanks, Linda, good to "compare notes" with you on topics like this one; your philosophy really resonates with me too : )

Hindsfeet said...

Thanks Correspondant and Mockingbird, Happy New Year to you both : )

Dan said...

How in the world did I miss this one?? In any case, I have it now! Great and timely post. Have a great week, H. It's back to the salt mine for me....

(thankfully I like the salt mine)

Hindsfeet said...

Making more "light and salt", good for you, Dan : ) (Matt 5:13-16)

Relyn Lawson said...

I'm late getting to it, but I wanted to stop by and wish you a happy, happy new year, my new friend. May God fill each day with an awareness of small joys. May He give you fresh eyes to see His hand in events beyond your control. May you feel blessed each day. Happy new year!

Sorry, no prize for being number 100. But, lots of thanks.

Hindsfeet said...

Hi Relyn : )

I wanted you to know how truly touched I was by your prayer...I read over it slowly three or four times, sort of taking it in, 'inhaling' if you will......

...thank you from the bottom of my heart for this..."small joys" "fresh eyes to see His hand in events beyond my control" "blessed each day"

wow...thanks for taking the time to bless me so thoughtfully.