Good Afternoon and Blessings Everyone!
I don't want to lecture anyone I like to tell stories and in those stories I hope we learn a lesson. So here goes! I for one love Spring and Fall, when the weather is perfect for walking and enjoying all the beauty that is around us. It doesn't mean I hate the summer or the winter it just means they slow me down a little.
Here is my story of the day. I was taught we need the winter for the Earth to rest and revitalize itself. During that time we get rain, snow, for the water we need, fruits and vegetables that only grow in the winter months, which are important for us to get nourishment needed as well as herbs that only grow during this time. I may not get to go walking but I could get the pleasure of listening to the quiet of the snow as it falls bringing with it a blanket of white beauty that crunches under your feet as you walk.
In the spring the Earth gives birth to even more beauty full of color and glory. Yes we get rain but its warmer than that of the winter months making it more enjoyable to walk in. :) The flower gardens begin to bloom, trees are budding, and the vegetable gardens are planted giving way to the summer months which offer so much more. The Earth wakes up in all it's glory giving birth to beauty and necessities.
The warmth of the summer sun gives you natural vitamin D that revitalizes you body giving you energy and a pep in your step. Days with out rain, more heat than some could stand, and many complaining they can't take the heat any more. My great grandmother used to love to be outside no matter what time of the year it was but in the summer months she loved tending to her garden. Nurturing all the plants she had put in the ground during the spring season, she did this early in the day before the heat got too bad. The remaining part of the day she spent in the yard under the cover of her grapevine sitting on her swing enjoying the peacefulness life had to offer her. My grandmother, my fathers mother loving known to us as Grandma Josie, loved sitting on the porch enjoying the shade given to her by the mulberry tree that was planted so many years ago. All in all they were thankful for all they had to enjoy during this hot but beautiful time of the year. My mother, well she was different in that she loved the sun! We used to tease her saying she worshiped it but in actuality she did. On her days off from work she would tend the garden she and I planted, be sure the yard was clean then she would lay in the sun for hours till it started to go down giving way to a warm dark night.
In the fall the smell of grapes ripping and ready for picking off the vine filled the neighborhood where I came from. Soon everyone would be making wine and the sweet smell would fill the air. The pumpkins were ready for picking, the apples were ready to make apple pie, and the holiday season was upon us. The Earth was once again getting ready for it's long winters nap. It was our responsibility to see to it she was well covered with compost to restore the vitamins needed to plant our crops once again come the spring. The rain is growing colder reminding us winter is just around the corner hurry and get it all done, trim the vine, cover the fig tree, prepare the ground. Give thanks to the Earth for all she has provided for you and your loved ones over the year. Treat her with tender loving care the way she treated and cared for you.
Now this is how the seasons, the weather, and all the Earth has to offer was explained to me by my mothers mother, Grandma Mini, other wise known as Philomena. Grandma believed God gave us what we needed, not necessarily what we wanted. We needed the water, the food, shelter that Earth had to give. We needed to see the beauty of Gods creations as well as the beauty in one another. I think she had the right idea. We can want for anything but what we need are the important things in life, family, love, shelter, food, water, they make life easier to live more pleasant.
The four seasons we are blessed with, the food we receive during each season, the water we are able to gather in our streams and reservoirs, the power of the moon and the warmth of the sun, our jobs, financially being able to care of ourselves and our families, these are what we need. These are gifts from God! So at the end of the day take a few minutes, no matter what has happened to you during the day, no matter what the weather may have thrust upon you, to thank your God for all the gifts he or she has bestowed upon you.
Thank You God
God thank you for the gifts you have bestowed,
Thank you for the crops we sowed,
Thank you for the food they bring,
For the birds singing in the spring,
For the flowers that bloom in all their beauty,
For the trees smelling oh so fruity,
For the mountains stretching high in the sky,
For the moon winking its eye,
For the sun which provides us light,
Making our days warm and bright,
For the ocean that breaks at the shore,
Pounding the rocks with a roar,
For the rivers with all their power,
For the fun of dancing in a sun shower,
For the night that brings us rest,
So we can face the day at our best,
Thank you God for giving us what we need,
So in this life we can succeed.
To Be Continued.......
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