It was October 20, 1995, and I was on my way to the barn to clean stalls and lay out feed for my horses. It was a miserably windy, wintry afternoon, with a depressingly heavy, overcast sky. My sinuses were hurting from the cold, and my ears were tickling.
Summer’s warm days were gone, and as much as I love autumn it never lasts long enough. I hated the coming cold of winter, and the ice, and having to put on heavy coats and mittens and hats—and spring was so far away.
Before I even reached the barn, something changed my mood. I noticed one small patch of blue sky peeking out—a bright, clear blue almost hidden behind the thick gray wintry clouds.
Of course, I took a photo.
A Glimpse of Hope
Like a rainbow after a rain, that patch of blue was a glimpse of hope. Behind all those oppressive gray clouds, the sky is still blue. That lovely blue may be hidden for a time, but it isn’t really gone.
Since then, God has used that promise of hope seen in a sky of wintry clouds to remind me to be patient as I go through life. Even though miserable winter will take the place of pleasant Autumn, each season will complete its appointed time as God wills. Each season of weather and each season of life has its blessings and its trials. There will be sunny days even in winter, and drifting snow can create a special beauty.
I’ve learned it’s best to accept what must be, to wait for God’s timing and to endure the cold, even when I don’t like it. The warmth of spring will come again bringing blue skies and lovely crocuses.
