Harvesting Hope!

I was thinking of the expression, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” and while I understand the point of this proverb, I must say I rather like lemons. Perhaps the saying really should read (for me anyway) – When life gives you manure, grow a garden. I say this because what we have been given seems more like manure (not wanting to use a more offensive term) than lemons.  So, we are going to grow a garden of hope, joy, friends, praise, learning to letting our roots sink in deep and blooming where we are planted (Is 58:11)

The LORD will guide you always;He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land  and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

I wrote that post on caring bridge when Jim was first diagnosed and I have thought of it often as I have travelled along since then. It reminds me of the song by the Omartians:

SEASONS OF THE SOUL

Lyrics by Stormie Omartian
Music by Michael Omartian

Whenever Summer dreams start to fade and lose their light,

And when the Spring in your heart seems so cold, it can’t be right,

And you feel like you’ve lost control,

And the valley’s seem so low,

Well it’s not forever, just a season of the soul.

If you could step away just to see how far you’ve gone,

If you would take the time just to be what you’ve become,

You could have the time to grow,

There would be a chance to know,

That it’s not forever, just a season of the soul.

Oh, it’s the season of the soul

It’s the season of the soul,

It’s the season of the soul,

It’s the season.

Walkin’ alone in the desert at night, searching for the rain,

How can this happen to me it’s not right, when Jesus is my friend,

Everything was going fine,

I was standing on the line,

Where did I go wrong?

Suddenly the sky was gray,

Looking like it was gonna stay,

Far too long.

Up on a mountain I heard His sigh, like an angel’s call,

If you don’t rest when the Winter is here, what will you bear in the Fall,

A time to cry, a time to sing,

There’s a time for everything,

Nothing lasts that long.

Don’t look at what you see,

And just keep your eyes on Me,

I won’t let you go wrong.

So when you look for the voice that you’ve known, and no one’s there,

And when it seems the caretaker’s heart, just doesn’t care,

It’s the seasons of the soul,

It’s the seasons of the soul,

Well it’s not forever – It’s the seasons of the soul.

—

© 1978 “See This House” Music
Used By Permission – All Rights Reserved

I often have to remind myself that this is a season of grief and that one day it will end.  (It won’t always be winter and never Christmas!) Many days it feels like my life stopped and not only will it never start again, I don’t really want it to! I don’t want to go on without Jim!  But, life does go on and God is still good. He alone is worthy of praise. Jim and I just see truth differently now! I love to imagine his perspective!