I always feel this way in November. The gray clouds billow across the sky, the cold seeps under the door , crosses the room and engulfs my heart.

I try to analyze my feelings as I hurry to help get the last of the crops into storage before the snow flies. I give myself a stern talking to: “ ok, KH what’s up?! We’ve had a wonderful year- God has blessed us with a strong growing season, and a safe harvest-the grain bins are all slam full. Your health is the best it’s been in awhile. You’ve got some exciting things coming up. Why the wistful feelings?”

But I know the answer: Winter.

Don’t get me wrong- I love a good snow. I love the ice skating parties that happen occasionally. I really do enjoy the slower pace.

But somehow the winter blues always hit me the month of thanksgiving. I look back at the beauty of seasons past and I look at the empty calendar days ahead and I wonder…

My 91 year old Grandmother is well past the fall season of her life and yet I get the same feeling of wistfulness from her too.

She looks back at the beauty in seasons that she’s experienced and looks at the bleak winter ahead of her. And she wonders…

My mom recently found a sweet poem written by my Great Grandmother Stella Good about her feelings about my Great Grandfather. Her wistfulness is quite obvious.

To my Husband

Honest, dependable, kind and true

These are fitting words for you,

Working hard from morn till night

To make anothers burden light

Lifes hard struggles, but endears

And love grows stronger through the years

 

Years have gone by, more than a few

Since these lines were penned to you

And vast the changes we have seen

In the long years that intervene

And our Infinite God has planned

Much that we cannot understand.

 

He knows why sorrow strikes us all

Sad partings come and teardrops fall.

For more then two and sixty years

We’ve share each other’s smiles and tears

But the time has come that we must part.

And I am left with a sorrowing heart.

 

Now my beloved, you have gone.

But memories sweet and love live on

You cannot return to me ‘tis true

But praise God, I can come to you

O the blessed hope, of Eternal years

With no more partings and no more tears.

May the winters ahead be gentle on us all, as we live our lives carefully, looking forward to the Eternal Years where the seasons never change

Be Blessed,

Kendra

Bonus Pic:

Recently Em helped me drive all night to get a family home for a funeral. We stopped by Gatlinburg, TN after we had our passengers delivered and Em insisted that I walk the 600 foot swinging bridge with her. I’m still not a big fan of heights, but I didn’t die this round- so that’s positive 😂 super thankful for her flexibility and willingness to travel with me and turn a big job into an adventure