Thursday, November 09, 2017

Putting Away The Playground Toys



"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens..." ... Ecclesiastes 3:1


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On Tuesday and Wednesday I prepared the playground for Winter.

"Playground?," you ask.

Yes, my backyard. The place where--in early Spring--I burst from the back door, grab a spade, and start digging. The place where tomato seedlings pop up from tomatoes I grew last year and where I do lots of 'sit-down-gardening', using my hand spade and tiny rake to gather leftover leaves which leeched good nutrients beneath Winter snow.

You know--garden play.




But now it's Autumn and tomorrow snow is promised. So I yanked up blackened tomato plants and churned yellow-brown leaves via the lawnmower (creating confetti). I moved the big lavender plant from the driveway then carried plastic windmills, terra cotta pots and the big sunflower dish to the garage.

Every moment brought happy past remembrances and an anticipation of new sunny morning adventures in 2018.

And yes, a tad bit of sadness, too. But hey! I reminded myself. "This is not Spring--and you can't go skipping seasons."


God likes to mix things up. 
He created seasons to keep us relying upon Him, not our ruts.
He frowns upon our trying to skip uncomfortable seasons.
He realizes all seasons are necessary. That all grow our trust level.
He knows change brings growth, patience and beauty. If we accept it.


And I think finally this will be the Winter I don't sit at the windows wishing for Spring. 

This year I truly want to do Winter well, for I've moaned through far too many others. May I slow my pace, read, bask and create within the Inside Playground  where I must choose play of a different kind. And may I welcome that challenge, find new solutions, rather than wish all discomfort away.







Go skipping an uncomfortable season and we'll have avoided some necessary personal growth. And someday we'll have to go back--and learn the lesson well before we can continue.

Choices made today will help create our tomorrows--for good or for bad.



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Our across-the-street neighbors recently bought the old light-green house kitty-corner from us. I watched the first strokes of dark grey paint being brushed on and thought,"Ew! I hope that's just the primer."

But you know? As each wall was completed, then the trim, I found myself liking the change.

Imagine that. Waiting until something was finished before I expressed an opinion aloud. What a novel idea.  😊




"There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."   ... Proverbs 12:18


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Speaking of creativity.... Does anyone remember when I wrote about the wonderful documentary called Amargosa which tells of the re-imagined theater in Death Valley? 

Here's a short youtube video/trailer about the so-creative woman who followed her dreams.

And here's the entire documentary which you can rent for .99 cents. 

For years, Marta Becket's incredible art has often been the nudge I needed to stop being all half-enough-is-good-enough, especially during long, cold Winters. What an inspiration she was!


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4 comments:

Betsy said...

I like the gray house! We've painted 2 of our four houses that we've owned gray and white and always got lots of compliments from the neighbors. I'm glad that you've come to like it too.
We had to clean up our outside playground about 3 weeks ago. A good thing too because we received 7 inches of snow last weekend. We had a few smaller snows before that, but now I think winter is here to stay. I keep moaning and complaining about snow because my back still hurts from last years fall. I need to stop though and appreciate that I can still move, albeit slowly. :-)
Have a lovely day my friend.
Blessings,
Betsy

Pam said...

I finished my outdoor chores this week, too. Every day seems to bring colder temperatures, and winter is settling in. Life is changing for us, since my husband is retiring at the end of December. I know that will make winter easier for me, since he will have more time to help with shoveling/sweeping snow. I find myself wondering how this new chapter will read...Marta's story is such an inspiration. It reminds me that regardless of our age and abilities, we still have purpose. We can make a difference.

Debi @ Tuesdays Child said...

Oh Debra, add me to the list of one who moans and groans their way through the winter as well. I used to LOVE winter [when I was way younger] but can say it's been awhile since I've embraced it or well, I'll just be honest about it ... since I've grumbled and complained about it.

Love your use of the words indoor and outdoor playgrounds - maybe I need to do a little changing my indoor playroom around a bit and adding a few fun things to it for the winter ...

We were supposed to be up to 3 inches by now but as of yet we've only gotten a few flakes flying by and by Sunday it's to warm up some again [Hooray! lol]

Have a good day, friend!

Debi

Deb said...

I gripe and whine my way through SUMMER and love being cozied in during the winter months. Aren't we funny? I'll be watching for tips on how you survive your winter happily so I can apply them to the long, hot summer of 2018. :)