Preparing for the Coming Season

Rob's post on seasons is an excellent discussion starter and Helen's story and thoughts move that along nicely.

My contribution for tonight is that, as well as the balance between what is appropriate for the season as against ongoing, in-season, out-season duties, there are also tasks that need to be done during one season in preparation for the next. As a keen gardener, I'm trying to make time to finish off some of the structural jobs, like fixing the fence and preserving some of the wood, which are winter tasks, when everything is laid bare. However, as we move towards spring, I also need to start planning what I'm going to cultivate this year.

I'm not quite sure how that applies to the seasons of our souls. However, maybe Paul's injuction to "rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep" (Romans 12:15) has some bearing on it? Just as the longer days are a sign to get my green fingers back to work outside because spring is coming, so the sunshine and storms others experience might be a call to us to prepare for when we face them ourselves by coming alongside them now?