And then it was Winter

By Irene Gehring

You know, time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years…

It seems like just yesterday that I was young, just married, and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet, in a way, it seems like eons ago and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams. But here it is, the winter of my life, and it catches me by surprise. How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not imagine it or imagine fully what I would be like. But here it is, my friends are retired, getting gray, and they move slower. Some are in better shape and some in worse shape than me, but I see the great change. Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we’d be.

• Everybody whispers
• You have three sizes in your closet: two of which you will never wear
• Going out is good; coming home is better
• What used to be freckles are now liver spots
• You miss the days when everything worked with just an “On/Off” switch
• You sleep better in a chair with the TV blaring than in bed; it’s “pre-sleep”

But OLD is good in some ways: old songs, old movies, and old friends!

And so, now I enter into this new season of my life, unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I should have done but never did.

But at least I know that, though winter has come and I’m not sure how long it will last, when it is over on this earth, it is NOT over, and a new adventure will begin!

Yes, I have regrets; there are many things I should not have done, things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I’m happy to have done. It’s all in a lifetime. Life goes by quickly so do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not. You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life, so live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember. And daily remind them that they are deeply loved by you and God.

“Life” is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after you. Make it a fantastic one. Remember: it is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. It is not what you gather but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.

Live it well! Enjoy today! Do something enjoyable! Have a great day! And most importantly…

KNOW Jesus, what He did for all of us, how He loves us and gave Himself for us, because He wants us to spend our next life eternally with Him.

BELIEVE the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus.

TRUST in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Knowing Jesus and believing the Good News leads us to put our trust in Jesus.

It’s like a flower. First, there is the bud; then, the bud slowly opens; and finally, there is the lovely, fragrant, full blooming flower of faith in Jesus, forever.