A Difficult Season

I have this smelly old dictionary I found at Deseret Industries years ago that sits on our bookshelf, rarely getting used. I picked it up today and looked up the word 'season'. I wasn't looking for the typical entry on Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter. But I did find this definition which was just I was looking for. It said:

season: n. a period of time, especially a relatively short one.

In talking with family and friends lately and as I've reviewed my own current situation, I have come to recognize that we are in a difficult season. So many we love are dealing with struggle and pain. It is not a new thing to us. We have had a few sesons like this in our married life - lengthy unemployment and multiple miscarriages come immediately to mind. These are times when troubles and sorrows surround us and our loved ones and it is hard to see past the tears and frustration to an end that may be brighter. But I've learned that these seasons are what make us stronger, more empathetic and loving human beings. That doesn't change the fact that they are just ultimately super sucky to go through.

What I love about this definition I found is that it says that seasons can be "especially a relatively short one". In hindsight, our difficult seasons do seem to be a blip on the radar of life. Don't get me wrong - while in the midst of them, it seems like an eternity is passing by ever so slowly - but afterwards, I recognize it didn't take as long as I'd thought. The lessons I've learned from these seasons are so vast and life changing, that I am always grateful.

Last night I was up with a fever, throwing up and feeling pretty punk. So today I thought I'd blog about this difficult season and then post a few pictures that make me happy about the other kind of season - and the fact that Easter is only a week away. I'm really grateful for this season and that we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ who makes my difficult seasons all the more easy to bear.