Sunshine and Snow

The weather in my part of Indiana has been especially confusing and strange this winter. December we had basically no snow - some ice and wind and a lot of cold, but no snow. Then last week, we got a serious 12 inches of the white stuff in under 24 hours. Today, I'm guessing another 3-4 inches have fallen. And it's cold again. Winter is definitely hitting us hard at the moment. For a place that doesn't usually get much in the way of accumulating snow, it's been interesting.

And, as much as I hate driving in snow and being cold, I have really enjoyed some parts of the last week. First of all, it's pretty outside. I think I would rather look of rolling hills of white snow than dead, brown grass. I would rather see fluffy snowflakes fall than watch storm clouds roll in. I would rather enjoy the sunshine reflecting off snow than ice.

And, for some reason, God has used this wintry week to speak into my heart - to remind me that there are ebbs and flows in every season, and that there is going to be growth and renewal under the cold frost of winter. I have a friend that recently said something about disliking the winter weather, but knowing that the freeze now would make the soil for her garden that much better this spring. That made me think a lot - not about gardens, but about my spiritual life. The times when I feel distant and cold -where I feel like I'm going through the motions and not getting a lot done - when God is still there, but I'm not feeling Him quite as much - maybe those are the dormant seasons in my life. God is using the freeze - the mental, emotional and physical freeze of winter - to prepare me for a new season - a new spring - a new something.

So, I'm enjoying the sunshine - even though it's not very warm today. And I'm enjoying the snow - even though it's covered everything again. It's a time to rebuild, to renew and to wonder what is going on under the surface!