Thankfulness in Every Season by Nina Faye Morey

I will extol the LORD at all times;

His praise will always be on my lips.

Psalm 34:1 (NIV)

In his Psalm of praise, David vows to always give glory to the Lord. No matter the time or season of our lives, we should never cease to honour Him and give Him thanks and praise (Psalm 106:1).

Give Thanks to the Lord

I find it easy to be grateful to the Lord for most aspects of our changing prairie seasons. I even enjoy the sound and fury of a sudden thunderstorm on a hot summer day. However, I find it more difficult to maintain this thankful attitude during winter’s storms. I really don’t appreciate the frigid temperatures or icy sidewalks that keep me indoors. However, there are mornings when I wake up to find that my little corner of the world has been magically transformed into a winter wonderland. I’m treated to a spectacular view of a world adorned with sparkling snow and hoarfrost. Then my spirits lift once more. I find myself thanking God and echoing His Word that all His creation is good (Genesis 1:31).

God’s Glorious Creation

Like the seasons of nature, I sometimes find it difficult to be thankful through all the seasons of my life. Just as the turn of seasons causes some of nature’s fiercest storms, we face our stormiest times during major life changes—illness, death, divorce. I may not have control over these stormy phases, but I do have control over how I react to them. I can call on the Lord, or I can choose to turn my back on Him. Even though I may not always understand God’s ways, I need to trust in Him.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on you own understanding;

In all your ways submit to him

and he will make your paths straight.

Prov. 3: 5-6

So although it’s sometimes hard to remain thankful through the stormy seasons of my life, I’m assured that I can stand firmly on the solid rock of God’s promises. He will provide me with stability and strength despite the shifting sands beneath my feet. If I trust in the Lord, I can be assured that He loves me and hears my cries for help. He sits at the right hand of God and intercedes for us in times of trouble (Romans 8: 31-39). He will hear my prayers and come to my rescue, giving me a firm foothold once more in the midst of my emotional turmoil.

My salvation and my honor depend on God;

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, you people;

pour out your hearts to him,

for God is our refuge.

Psalm 62: 7-8

No matter what negative things are presently occurring in my life, I can be confident that God is working to turn them into something positive. Just as He works in the natural realm to transform a bitter winter into a winter wonderland, He works in the spiritual realm to transform the bad into the good.

And we know that in all things God works for the

good of those who love him, who have been

called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

When I get discouraged during life’s storms, I remember David’s advice to always give thanks and praise to the Lord. Accepting that God’s in control of my future lifts my spirits and brings peace to my heart. If I remain focused on my faith, I know God will have something wonderful in store for me on the other side of the storm (Col. 3:15-17).

My Spirits Lift Once More

Thankful In Season - Tracy Krauss

Many others have already expressed the unique feelings of thankfulness that we Canadians get to enjoy during the cold winter months. We are thankful for things like:

That cozy feeling that envelops you when you snuggle under a blanket with a steaming drink after being outside in the elements.

The brightness of the snow as it sparkles in the sunlight on a clear afternoon.

The Christmas-card beauty of hoarfrost on the trees, evergreens laden with snow, and smoke curling from rooftop chimneys.

Rosy cheeks 
and clouds of breath 
and whoops of laughter on the way down the toboggan hill.

I dislike scraping my car windows in the morning as much as the next person. I get tired of shovelling. Sometimes it feels like spring will never arrive...

But I am so THANKFUL to live in a country with distinct seasons. I think this might be the thing I would miss most if I had to move elsewhere. So here's to winter, with all its pros and cons. May we ever cherish the great variety we are so privileged to experience in this wonderful country we call home.

Tracy Krauss writes from her home in northern BC where hoarfrost on trees and shovelling snow are part of everyday life. Visit her website: tracykrauss.com  -fiction on the edge without crossing the line

Learning to Give Thanks in ALL Things, Even Winter - Ruth L. Snyder

Several days after I was born, I experienced my first blasts of winter in a Michigan ice storm. However, when I was only six weeks old, my parents whisked me away to Southern Africa. Winter there consisted of temperatures in the low 20's during the day with the rare possibility of frost overnight. We enjoyed fresh vegetables and fruit from our garden year-round. If we wanted to see snow, we had to go to the mountains.

I didn't really experience my first Canadian winter until I was eleven years old. I revelled in the beauty of a fresh downy blanket of snow. The glittering diamonds of sun glinting off hoar frost mesmerized me. But the cold! And the short days! At least skating in Alberta didn't end in a puddle of water like it did the couple of times we tried it in Zimbabwe. And it was definitely easier to pay attention in school when the weather was cold and I preferred to stay indoors.

I have told my husband that I still have African blood. Winter is NOT my favourite season. I would be happy if the cold and snow lasted for a month and then we reverted back to summer weather. However, I Thessalonians 5:18 urges us, "in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus" (Amplified). Giving thanks is an act of the will I can choose, no matter how I feel.

So what do I choose to give thanks for in winter?

• A well-insulated house
• Delicious, nutritious food to eat
• A warm, dependable vehicle with snow tires
• A slower pace
• Frosty, refreshing sunrises
• Time with family and friends
• Snow angels
• God's faithfulness
• A hot cup of Rooibos tea (a tradition our family brought back from South Africa!)
• Rosy red cheeks and smiles from my children
• A lined leather jacket, mitts, and boots to keep me warm
• An energetic Husky dog who motivates me to go for walks
• Soft, downy white snow drifting down
• Horse-drawn wagon rides
• Glowing, dancing northern lights
• The promise of Spring

Is Winter a season you resist or relish? What do you give thanks for in Winter?

Give Thanks—in Winter! by Sandi Somers

January can be depressing. We may have financial or emotional hangovers because the holiday excitement is over. Our Christmas bills come in. Our homes feel empty after family and friends leave. Or we feel hollow if a loved one has recently passed away. We can be frustrated with the cold temperatures, bundling up to even step outside. We yearn for longer, warmer days to cheer us.

How can we be thankful followers of Christ in winter? How can our thankful hearts and attitudes change our perspective and encourage others?

My Winter Journal of Thankfulness

It was a winter of the Arctic vortex on steroids.

Several years ago, snow fell in October—and stayed. That winter was long and cold, and the Southern Alberta Chinooks seldom came. Snow continued to pile up until April’s thaw melted it.

To counter my twinges of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) that winter, I journaled about God’s many footprints. Snow sparkling in the sunlight like so many diamonds. Tiny deer tracks in fresh snow up our cul-de-sac. The golden cloud in early morning sunlight, until the wind of the cold front and snow blew in and blotted out the sun.

What that winter felt like!!

My journal recorded not only the joyous moments. Several times I wrote about “difficult thanks”; on frigid blustery days I recognized God’s sovereignty over His creation and the winter season. On those days I was particularly thankful for a warm house, adequate winter clothes, a car that worked in the cold, and city workers who plowed out our streets.

Unfortunately I didn’t continue recording moments of thankfulness.

…until this last summer.

At a ladies’ retreat, our guest speaker, Heidi McLaughlin, shared entries from her “Journal of Thanks”. She was thankful for items even as small as her bed’s soft sheets. Heidi inspired me to again journal several things each day for which I was thankful.

I didn’t realize how this practice changed my writing until I reread my 2016 journal.

It was a real eye-opener!

Normally I keep this journal for daily time with God and how He is speaking to me about my concerns. But when I began adding daily thanks items (including “difficult thanks”), the tone of my writing changed to one of gratitude for friends, family, unique experiences, His Word, and for God Himself.

Thanks and praise had lifted my writing to a higher plane. I began to include more thankfulness and praise in my regular entries.

As I meditated on this month’s theme, I realized the great potential for being thankful. If it were possible, we could thank God for something in each moment of the day.

We could be like Brother Lawrence, whose duty was to wash pots and pans in a Carmelite Monastery. Daily he practiced the presence of God and let love transform everything he did.

What does thankfulness do?

Thankfulness, along with prayer and petition, is the antidote to our worry and anxiety (Philippians 4:6).

Thankfulness takes our focus off ourselves and opens us to worship our Creator, Saviour and Lord.

Thankfulness gives our writing a fuller message so that our readers can meet God in new ways.

A Chinese pastor developed a daily habit of thankfulness while in prison. He encouraged us:

"Every morning when you wake up, don't get up; just stay in bed and for ten minutes thank God for anything that comes into your mind. It might be the wallpaper, it might be for friends, it might just be for life. Anything. Once you get going you discover that the world is full of grace, God's grace. With that attitude you are ready to live the day for God, because you are overwhelmed at how generous God is to you."

Now it’s your turn. Take your notebook, a cappuccino or hot chocolate and curl up in your favourite chair or sofa. Write about what you’re thankful for this winter, in many areas of your life and writing. What does your thankfulness tell you? How will thankfulness open you to new ways God is speaking to you about your faith and writing this year?

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