Blizzards of Life

I wrote this back in January, 2003.  As you can see from our latest photos, the sentiments still apply.

            This morning we awoke to calmer conditions and about a foot of new snow.  Lots must have fallen during the night.  All was white and still as the wind had turned and was now bringing us lake effect snow from the back side of the storm.  That’s the way it goes up here.  First it blows one way and then turns and blows the other.  Either way, it all means more snow!  It’s quite beautiful, though.

            It all reminded me of the way the past year affected us.  We had many blizzards blow by us.  Ephraim was sent to Afghanistan and then my mother died suddenly.  In early Oct. we buried my cousin, struck down in the prime of his life by a massive heart attack.  By the end of Oct., we buried a sweet young woman from the Church, killed instantly in an auto accident.  At 21, she left a broken marriage and a daughter less than 3 years old.  Two of our members faced unexpected battles with cancer.  The wintry winds were certainly blowing!  They whipped the frozen snows of grief and loss across the landscape of our lives and all but obliterated the Eternal Purpose of God.  It’s not that God isn’t there any more, it’s just that these blizzards blind us!

            We often find ourselves driving through a “blinding” snow or "white out".  Our eyes become mesmerized by the flakes rushing out of the dark at us.  Instead of seeing what lies in our path, or even where our path leads, we are focused on the falling snow.  We are paralyzed!  And so it is in times of crisis.  We squint and lean into the wind, thinking only of the power of this storm.  We forget the landscape beyond – our world becomes small; full of turmoil and noise.

            God is not moved by such storms.  He doesn’t shift or turn His back on us.  Outside the small circle (and it really is small) of our chaos, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8   He is not fickle like men or distracted by the drama of our lives.

            I don’t know about you, but I find great comfort in Malachi 3:6, “I the LORD do not change.  So you, O descendents of Jacob, are not destroyed.”  God IS always the same.  He is always our Rock, firm and steady no matter what storms are blowing between us.  And it is His steadfastness which saves us.  Let’s not be swept away by sudden storms.  Hold firm to the Rock.  Remember He is always there, just beyond the blowing snow.

  The LORD watches over you – the LORD is your shade at your right hand;  the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD will keep you from all harm  -- He will watch over your life;  the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121:5-8

Love as always,  Elaine (sheltered from the storm)

Frozen in Time

I wrote this a few weeks back…

Although this is our 13th winter up north, I'm still amazed by the weather.  We've had a several days of occasional brittle blue skies and frigid nights.  Sunday night it dropped to minus 27 F.!  There are often days between snowfalls but, because of the intense cold, the snow still lays as sparkling and fresh as the day it fell.  Long icicles hang off the house with nary a drip falling.  Great armloads of snow continue to rest undisturbed on our trees out back.  Even in the woods, the snow still coats the bare branches.  I feel as if time has stopped -- each morning glitters in the sub-zero cold.  Our metal roof booms and buckles as the temp. rises and falls from 10 degrees.  I can almost walk across the back yard on top of two feet of snow without sinking, the crust is so hard!  Has January really passed by?  I'm reminded of C.S. Lewis's land of Narnia where it was "always winter and never Christmas"!  Who can imagine spring or the color of green?

No matter what it feels like, time really is passing.  In just a few weeks I will turn 60!  All of us are moving toward eternity.  So what is the substance of our days?  Are we accomplishing anything that really matters?  In the dead of winter, it's hard to imagine that our efforts will bear fruit.  But there is always work to be done in God's Kingdom.  No matter what the weather, we're here to do the LORD's work -- it's the only thing that will last!  There are many ways you can be involved in God's vital work, too.  There are amazing rewards to be reaped!

  "Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.  Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever."  Daniel 12:2,3 

Love as always,  Elaine (sparkling in the snow)