Autumn And Winter

 

Autumn And Winter

I.

Beautiful Autumn is dead and gone--
Weep for her!
Calm, and gracious, and very fair,
With sunny robe and with shining hair,
And a tender light in her dreamy eye,
She came to earth but to smile and die--
Weep for her!

Nay, nay, I will not weep!
She came with a smile,
And tarried awhile,
Quieting Nature to sleep;--
Then went on her way
O'er the hill-tops grey,
And yet--and yet, she is dead, you say!
Nay!--she brought us blessings, and left us cheer,
And alive and well shell return next year!--
Why should I weep? 

 

II.

Desolate Winter has come again--
Frown on him!
He comes with a withering breath,
With a gloomy scowl,
With a shriek and a howl,
Freezing Nature to death!
He stamps on the hills,
He fetters the rills,
And every hollow with snow he fills!
Frown on the monster grim and old,
With snowy robes and with fingers cold,
And a gusty breath!

Nay, nay! I shall give him a smile!--
For I know by the sleet,
And the snow in the street,
He has come to tarry awhile.
Ho, for the sleigh-bells merrily ringing!
Ho, for the skaters joyously singing--
Over the ice-fields gliding, swinging!--
So let the Winter-king whiten the plain!
Fetter the fountains and frost the pane,
His greeting shall be--
Not a frown from me,
But a smile--a smile!

  By Mrs. J. C. Yule

Source: Poems of the Heart and Home By Mrs. J. C. Yule

Photo Credit:

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 66: Winter Support

Key Verse

“Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 BSB

Lesson

Where do all the birds go in the winter? It is well known that many birds fly south for the winter. But not all birds do so. Many remain in cold regions and endure the snow, ice, and frigid weather including Cardinals, certain wrens, some woodpeckers and others. It is incredible to think that some birds would choose to remain in cold climates when they can so easily fly south to warmer areas. Perhaps if they all went south there would not be enough food for all of them. So how do birds stay warm in the cold and where do they go if not south?

On most nights birds sleep in a nest or on a tree branch. During cold winter nights birds seek warm lodgings out of the wind. Such places include cavities in trees, tree stumps, vine tangles, upturned roots, old barn roofs, and bird houses to name a few. Birds have been known to stay just about anywhere they can find, including a mailbox. I’m sure that post man was quite surprised. Birds tend to only go out in the cold when the must for food. This is why they are seen less during the winter. They only travel as far as required to find insects or bird feeders to eat.

Birds have other ways of combating low temperatures besides going inside. They will often add insulation to their winter roost with bits of moss, twigs, leaves, and man-made material such as paper. They can also ruffle their feathers up to trap more heat around their little body. Of course, the best way birds use to stay warm is to huddle together with other birds. As many as 46 birds have been documented inside one nesting box!1

Birds know the value of relationships. Having others around to support you when things get hard can be a big help and even save your life. The early Christians realized the benefit of relationships and community also. That is why in Hebrews 10:25 Paul encouraged his fellow Christians to meet frequently so they could encourage one another. It is not safe to be a Christian all alone with out the support of fellow believers. Jesus also encouraged believers to get together when he said where two or three are gathered in my name I am there also (Matthew 18:20). We need each other, especially in hard times, for warmth and support.

Questions

What are some things you could do to help ensure birds make it through the cold winter?

Do we have to be part of a church to be Christian?

Can you come up with some other reasons why it is important to meet with fellow Christians?

What could you tell someone who says they don’t need other Christians?

Sources

1 Joe Smith. “How Do Birds Stay Warm on a Cold Winter’s Night?” (JANUARY 19, 2016). The Nature Conservancy. Accessed January 1, 2018 from https://blog.nature.org/science/2016/01/19/how-birds-stay-warm-cold-winters-night/.



Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: christijamin via www.pixabay.com