The Blessings of Winter

 These thoughts about the positive and necessary effects of the cold of winter on the production of fruit in trees has been such an encouragement and comfort to me during some hard times in my own life, as I thought on the spiritual truths it could be applied to for our lives and bearing fruit, that I thought I would share it here...just with the hope someone else out there who might be going through some trials might find it a comfort to them also. 

I first learned of this when my family and I lived down in the south for many years...and came to find that our apple and pear trees were very weak growing, and simply would not produce any fruit no matter what we tried. I wrote some details about it in a small journal I kept at the time...and when I came across it recently again while I've been in some hard times...it honestly brought me to tears and gave me such comfort as I thought of the way it could be applied spiritually to God's children. The cold, hard times might be very unpleasant...but God can and does promise to work it for the good of His own (Romans 8:28). I wish I could say that I always remember this, and always walk by faith rather than sight...but I need this constant reminder...it is so easy to forget, and be weighed down by difficult times!

"A mild winter may be pleasant, but it can diminish our future harvests. Warm winters can result in delayed foliation and prolonged blossoming, but the buds deteriorate or drop, yielding few flowers or fruit."

"Fruit trees and certain bushes must go through a dormant period each winter in preparation for producing fruit the following spring and summer. This rest period, also known as a chilling period, is directly related to the temperature. For many varieties of trees, the most efficient temperature for chilling is 45°F, with little additional chilling effect at temperatures below 32°F. Brief warm spells in winter have a negative effect — temperatures above 70°F for four or more hours offset any chilling that happened in the previous 24-36 hours."

The amount of hours needed at or below 45°F varies with the type of tree:

Peach: 400 to 1050 hours

Apple: 800 to 1100 hours

Cherry: 1000+ hours

Once chilling is complete, the trees prepare to wake up from dormancy and bud after a certain amount of warming takes place."

                 

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." -John 15:1-2

 "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples." -John 15:8

This is a poor quality photo...but it is a handwritten note that my sister's mother-in-law (who passed away earlier this year) kept on her fridge. It always made me stop and think...and especially more so as going through times of suffering. It says:

 "Suffering in a believer's life is never pointless. It tests in order to strengthen, OR It chastens in order to correct."

"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." -Philippians 1:9-11

The sweetest rest is at even,

After a wearisome day, 

When the heavy burden of labor 

Has been borne from our hearts away;

And those who have never known sorrow - 

Cannot know the infinite peace

That falls on the troubled spirit

When it sees at last release. 

We must live through the dreary winter

If we would value the spring; 

And the woods must be cold and silent

Before the robins sing;

The flowers must be buried in darkness

Before they can bud and bloom.

And the sweetest warmest sunshine 

Comes after the storm and gloom. 

-Unknown Author

"Who understands the thrill of seeing the first 

bright flowers of spring so clearly as one who has just gone 

through the long, hard winter?"

-Darlene Deibler Rose

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

 "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." -1 Peter 5:10