Inner Strength

From November 2015:

"I'm trying to go outside each day that the weather permits.  It takes so much energy for me to leave the house, that I started to realize that I was never getting any fresh air.
It's good for my mind, soul and spirit to be outside more frequently.
I've been enjoying going on my back patio, laying in a lounge chair and enjoying this beautiful world.

The other day a storm was blowing in and I huddled under a blanket on my lounge chair trying to brave the weather.  I only made it ten minutes,but it still felt good to feel the wind on my face and watch the clouds blowing in the sky.
I watched a leaf blowing around.  I never saw it land.  It kept blowing wherever the wind took it.  I looked at the tree the leaf came from.

I am glad that I am more like the tree than the leaf.
I have roots and branches.  I am strong.  I don't have to be blown around by the stormy winds.
Right now, I look a bit like that tree.  It is missing most of it's leaves and is a little barren.  There will be a long winter ahead for that tree; lots of harsh weather: wind, snow, ice. There won't be very much sun.

But this tree was made to handle the winters of  life.  This tree can hunker down and focus on survival.
The tree will use its resources and stores to survive during the harsh winter.
It won't give shade to others during the winter.  It won't be as beautiful to look upon as it is during the spring, summer and early fall.  But it will survive and come back more beautiful and stronger than before.

This tree has lost branches before during severe 80mile/hour winds.  But now you can hardly notice because it is still strong and beautiful even with it is missing branches.

Trees are amazing and so are people.
God created both trees and people to withstand hard times.  They can both survive the winters and come back triumphant, beautiful and stronger.

There is always a springtime to look forward to with an eye of faith.
 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13"