Indian Winter

As I sit here typing, it is 9:45 PM, the temperature outside is 73 degrees and according to weatherchannel.com, the wind is blowing at 14 mph with gusts in excess of 25 mph. While climates a little further north celebrate "Indian Summers" in the dead of winter, we here in Texas REVEL in freak winters (i.e. temps below 80 degrees in the summer) in lieu of the pit-sweatin' summer and early fall temps that distinguish Texas weather.

My run today was awesome! It was overcast, slightly windy and the temps were cool with low low low humidity. As I ran, I thought about how I wanted to hang onto this weather forever and ever. I don't want it to go away. It's like water for a parched soul. Looking forward to Saturday's race, I whispered a prayer that the conditions would remain the same thru the weekend.

But I can't hold onto today, or earlier today. I can't stop time, nor can I control the weather.

In my walk with Christ, I sometimes hit a comfy spot in the midst of a workhorse of a season. A spot where He's allowed me a lil' break, and I'm sitttin' in the AC, sprawled across an oversized chair, feet propped up on an ottoman, Crystal Light within reach a great book lying on my chest and my eyelids drooping, drooping, drooping as I doze off to a land where all is bliss.

I cherish those times. I call those times my "good time-outs." But they're often short lived and the heat of the task at hand blasts me back into focus sooner than I would like and BAM I'm up and back in the race of life again.

Those precious, scant times make the long hot seasons of what seems like never ending eternal lessons a little more bearable.

Those special stretches, be they days, hours or even just minutes stolen behind closed eyelids and deep breaths, help me to remember that just as the heat of the summer will soon be bullied into hiding by the cool breezes of autumn, so too, my season of learning, changing, growing on whatever truth He's working on in my world will also eventually wind to an end, ushering in much needed rest, relaxation and cool cool breezes.

"...He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul..."