Season-ing

SEASON:

noun-

1) a period of time usually characterized by the changing of the environment as time passes, as in Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter

verb-

1) to add flavor to or enhance the natural flavor of food, as with salt, herbs or other spices

2) to prepare or make ready for use, as in preparing a grill for cooking, or adjusting the moisture content of firewood for burning

welcome to the new season of my life. Which previously I had only ever thought of as the first definition of changing times. And then, one morning this week I was awoken by a picture of raw chicken (which I have spent quite a bit of quality time with this week, cooking supper) being seasoned. And the gentle reminder that season was also a verb. Eagerly, I got out my Bible, and my dictionary and my laptop and started searching all the possible meanings of "season". I found more than what I listed, but these are the ones that best apply.

I even looked up just how one would go about seasoning a grill. What I discovered is that it involves turning up the heat and scraping off all of the junk that has gotten baked on and then reapplying a new, protective coating of oil. Well, for a grill that sounds dandy. For my heart, it's not always a walk in the park. But it is a fantastic picture of what this new season is in my life. And just as we are learning in class, it is much easier to get excited and really delve into what you are learning when you have a picture of the destination, the seasoning metaphor gives me hope as to where we are going in this time. The scraping off isn't the be all end all of this time, it is only the beginning and totally necessary to lay a good foundation.

Seasoning is also about adding flavor. If for example, I was a raw piece of meat, I've been marinated and seasoned by all sorts of things. I love that God is a master chef and He knows exactly what combination of seasoning leads to the perfect flavor He's trying to create. And so, while some of them by themselves are awful, vinegar for example, when layered all together, it creates the perfect effect. Thank goodness, I am not in fact, a piece of meat, but I am person, made in the image of God! So how much more is God concerned with my character. He there is a goal He has for the kind of person I am to be, and He knows there are certain character traits He wants to develop in me. grill seasoning instructions can be found here.

All in all to say, that it this time here so far hasn't always been easy or fun, but I have been given the gift of a new season. And I want to embrace it. Don't get me wrong, there have been lots of FANTASTIC times here as well, not all the seasonings God uses are bitter, some are sweet! It's a beautiful blend of joys and trials, challenges, and growth. And oh, how I can't wait to taste what God has in store for this season of time. It's going to be incredible.

"All of my life, in every season, You are still God. I have a reason to sing, I have a reason to worship." - Hillsong United "Desert Song" (which you can listen to here. and you should because it is amazing!

*Disclaimer: I heart metaphors a LOT. So I get a bit carried away with them. So I'm sorry If I went a bit overboard here. *