Reflections

When I looked at the trees and bushes outside last week, from a distance they mostly looked asleep - or even dead. Winter is like that. Trees look barren and skies are often gray. It's cold and dark and not the time of year we associate with growth. To be honest, winter is not my favorite season. I know some people love it, but the cold days and long, dark nights make me feel dreary and unmotivated. I struggle to feel like I'm growing the way I want to. Are there places in your life where things feel dormant or dead? Does it feel like winter in your heart? DON'T DESPAIR. What we see from a distance when we look at the trees and what we feel about our current season in life  is never the whole story.  When I stopped last week and looked more closely at the trees and bushes in my yard, over and over again I found the beginnings of new growth. It wasn't obvious from a distance yet, but it was undeniably there. As I reflect on the photos I took last weekend I'm remember