I love being a mother during winter!

June in Australia is the first month of winter, and as a girl I did NOT appreciate this month being my birthday!  Rainy, cold weather was NOT what a young girl wanted!  I was sad that I couldn’t have my dream spring-time birthday party; outside with flowers, playing games, eating cake and wearing a pretty sun-dress! I no longer live in that region, and where I live now, my favourite time of the year is autumn (fall) ~ it’s absolutely fabulous, without exaggerating…not scorching hot, but sensationally warm and invigorating right down into your bones.  The climate here on the Murray River, is actually so mild and pleasant, that the first month of winter isn’t really too bad…one could mistake it for autumn somewhere else!  However…to be honest I absolutely enjoy being a mother most in winter.

I know it may seem a bit strange, but I do find winter wonderful for parenting.  Warm hot dinners, like mash potato, home-made soups, roast chicken and gravy and warm bread.  I also love my kids having warm baths, flannelette pyjamas, cosy blankets, snuggles with the heater on, soft socks and slippers, hot tea or chocolate…it may sound bizarre but I even enjoy sounding like a broken record asking every morning… ‘Have you put your singlet on?’

I had the pleasure this afternoon of making fresh Cauliflower Soup!  This was because my eldest son, while shopping had requested this when seeing caulies on sale, by saying, ‘Mum, can you please make that beautiful Cauliflower Soup that you’ve made before?’  And for those of you who have read 'Let your words encourage' , you will understand that this was a wonderful boost to my confidence, and a request that I could not help but oblige :)

So there I was cooking soup, and dinner, and feeling just wonderful…Feeling all wonderfully paternal and thinking how much I enjoy winter time…when a thought a came to mind.  The thought was…If I enjoy caring for my family so much during winter, how much must God enjoy caring for us during the winter-times in our lives?

You see, the warmer months are fun and usually carefree…the kids can usually just wear a tee-shirt, shorts and flip-flops, eat on the run and have quick, short showers, and it’s usually way too hot for long snuggles!  And this can be like the carefree times during our lives, when all is well…

But what about the WINTERS?

You know what I mean...the times when it seems like one thing after the other just keeps happening, and life can feel overwhelming!  We don’t like these times do we?  And it’s natural to wonder… ‘Where are you God?’  But just like the famous 'Footprints poem'…God hasn’t left you, He’s right there like a loving parent!

And during these winter seasons, we all have a choice…to sulk and complain, or to snuggle close!

God is so cool!  While I was enjoying my cooking and thinking about this post, look what He gave me...