And Now I Sleep: Recognizing and Accepting Seasons of Rest

I looked outside to the frosted world that turned the fur trees to sparkling towers in our yard. The world was still. Everything was alive, but bedded down under a small layer of snow.
 
Nature is amazing, isn’t it? I‘ve seen storms where I was certain trees or plants would surely be destroyed by the cold, but come spring they stretch out green limbs and leaves, alive once more. After the energy and activity of the summer, I am sure their winter rest is well-deserved.
 
We can learn so much from the systems of life that God created. When I watch the winter world I am reminded of the precious children’s prayer:
“Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
And if I die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take.”
 
I prayed this as a child when thoughts of ghosts and goblins kept my juvenile head full and my eyes from wanting to close. Eventually I always fell asleep, believing God watched over me.
 
Rest in an intricate part of life. Why does our society view it as such a nuisance? Rest restores us. Rest makes us more trusting of God as we sit back and watch Him care for us while our minds and body take a break. Rest helps us stop and refocus. Rest helps us prioritize our lives.
 
I stepped away from the window and curled my fingers around a warm mug of coffee. I’m in a different season now. I’m indoors more and not out in my garden or mowing my lawn. Even the chickens started laying less eggs last fall when the days grew short. Everything rests, as do I.
 
Today I give thanks for seasons that encourage me to change my pace and trust in God. 

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What do you enjoy about the changing seasons? Do the winter months bless your own life in a specific way?
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I lie down and sleep;
  I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
Psalm 3:5, NIV 

This is one of my favorite books. Whenever I feel anxious it brings me a lot of peace.