My "Winter Theory," Is it God's Plan for Us?

Have you ever given the thought that winter was designed with a particular purpose by God.

In fact, each season has a specific purpose, but winter especially.

Why is it that so much of the world has to deal with cold and harsh conditions?

Could it be that God knows us so well and has purposely made winter to be a time to slow down.

Is it a time that brings us all back together as a family? Yes, that might mean being stuck in the house (i.e snowed in) but is that really such a bad thing to be "Stuck Together" as a family?

It is also a time that "things" happen: Power goes out, pipes freeze, cars won't start, etc. Could it be a time where we just might need to depend on others for help?

Winter is a time to relax, a time to ponder our lives without the distraction of business all around us. It is a time to reevaluate our motivations in life, our goals.

It is a time where difficulty might just present itself and that in itself can have a direct effect on what we see as a priority in life. Haven't you ever felt extremely distraught over an issue or a dilemma, only to be hit with an unrelated crisis, and in the midst of dealing with the crisis, the original dilemma all the sudden appears to be nothing in comparisons.

That is life, it take contrasting situations often to see the issue more clearly, to see them for what they really are. Without contrast, how can one truly see?

It is also a time for anticipation, anticipation for spring.

A time when the world comes alive again, and the potential for a revitalization and rebirth comes to fruition.

I often think that people who live in places like California or Florida are actually deprived of the holiness of winter and all that the season brings to one's spirituality.

Their winter doesn't look much different from their spring and summer, and because of such, their ability to contrast the seasons is absent. We lived in Southern California for many years (San Diego) and this was very evident there.

The seasons of the land often represent the seasons of our lives, and the further I contemplate this theory, it also seems to represent the season of our geographical culture.

Have you even noticed the difference in personalities or characteristics of families that live in a place with harsh winters and compare them to families from lets say California?

There is a significant difference.

Yes, I do understand that there are other factors at play here as well, but we cannot disregard and dismiss my "Winter Theory" as not being a possible major contributor to the formation of those persons.

Hmmmmmm just a thought to ponder.....Winter, designed by God for a purpose.

Running away to places to live with a mild to non-existent winter, is that also running away from God's design for our lives?