I watched the sun sink below the silhouette of the bare branches like a golden pennant. The bits of yellowed grass seemed to be illuminated in the fading light. The autumn leaves created a blanket of gold and it seemed as if I had been transported into a fairytale. I had become a child again.

 [ Photos in this post are by Analise Porter Photography ]

Since moving to Utah, I have a newfound appreciation for the seasons. Coming from the warm desert, each winter still comes as a bite. Still, I’ve come to enjoy the season. There is nothing like the warmth and the feeling of a cozy home after being out in the winter air. And oh, the sweaters, wool socks, and gorging myself on seasonal feasts!

And when months roll on past when the world froze, the sun will comes out and with it, the blossoms. As you drive down the streets, the sky will be carpeted with pink and white flowers atop trees. Fresh grass peeks out from the frost covered ground. Birds seem to chirp louder as if to say, “Hooray, the winter has passed.”

We usually tend to our yard about this time and with it, our garden. We till the soil and plant for the summer. And as the days go on, the sun seems to shine brighter and brighter until my children turn on the sprinklers and pretend to dodge the oscillating stream. They yell from the back door, “Mom, we are wet. Should we come in?!”

I never had seasons growing up. In Las Vegas it is a temperate “winter”. In true Vegas style, I’ll bet you that it will be in the 60’s by February. So, as I have lived and adjusted to the seasons here in Utah, I have marveled at the correlation between the literal seasons and the metaphorical seasons in my life.

We all seem to have our hardships and happiness. And just as it seems, I have had seasons, days, weeks, and months in my life full of depression and utter despair. But just the same, sometimes I feel a filling force inside my whole self, from my head to toe, that makes me feel as if all is and ever has been good in the world.

I compare the bleak moments in my life’s journey to my winters. Though the skies be dark and the feelings all around seem lifeless and cold, I have found joy. As I have leaned on my God during these times I have found relief.  Sometimes the winters fly by while other times they truly drag on.  During these times I am molded into a better creature.

But, just as the seasons, winter does end. Our moments of cold come to a close. When I have come out of these winters in life, it does feel as if the world has come alive again in spring. The spring then flows into summer when my world seems to be bright and busy. During these times we spend hours outside and ironically I find myself leaning less and less on my God and literally and metaphorically going home.

I have enjoyed being apart of this thankful heart link up. I would not have wrote this post today otherwise,. But as I am helping host I knew I needed to write a post today. So I thought to myself, what am I really thankful for? Food, safety, my children, talents, my husband. As I really thought, I realized just how thankful I am for growth and the seasons in my life.

This year has been a packed one for me, full of winter moments like my miscarriage or having to support my family while my husband has been full time in school. And then there have been such beautiful moments, like my children loving school, making new friends, and accomplishing some really cool projects.

What I do know is that if I always had summer, I would not know the cold. I would not really appreciate the warmth of the sun in spring. If I did not have winters in my life, I would not be reminded of what it feels like to go to my God for reprieve from the cold. The seasons have purpose. They all have their own unique beauty.

With each passing season, I have grown and learned. And in a way, I feel strengthened. So with the impending winter coming, I welcome it. I know that spring will follow and that through this time I can be reminded of the seasons in my life with each burst of cold. They are magical. Because of the seasons, I am truly a child again.

I will be sharing details of the Friendsgiving event I did with Aleigh Moore and Stephanie Wing in a couple days. If you would like to read more from the series, you can read last week’s posts here. 
 If you have a thankful blog post or social media post feel free to add it to our link up. I hope you all have a beautiful thanksgiving week.

-Natashia