Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Snow, Sufjan and Second Chances

So I haven't blogged since August 5th. I took a weekend off which turned into a week off which turned into 3 months off. There hasn't been anything on my mind to blog about. It's kinda ironic because this past 3 months have been some the craziest, stressful months of my life. Anyways, back by popular demand, here's Fallen Timbers!

Today was the first legitimate snow of they season for the Cincinnati area. (Everyone on social media will let you know that) Here's something to know about me. I love snow. I wrote a blog back in the day about how people should stop using the word love so much because it loses its power. I love snow.The sight of snow immediatly takes me back to elementary school. The song "Hooray" by Minus the Bear captures the emotion that snow makes me feel. So I woke up, opened my phone and saw the dozens of pictures of snow covered streets and trees along with each person's personal opinions about snow. A lot of people seem to hate snow and that makes my heart hurt.

 I've always had this feeling that being surrounded by snow brings be closer to God. Something about snow and the winter season makes me extremely grateful for what God has blessed me with. Even if you don't like the cold, you have to acknowledge that snow is beautiful. After I got out of bed, I put on my Colombia gear, went outside and listened to Sufjan's christmas album as I shoveled the driveway. Just a side note, Sufjan Steven's Christmas albums are the best Christmas albums ever made as far as I'm concerned. If you've never given Sufjan a shot, you should try his Christmas albums.

Back to my day. I finished the driveway, put the shovel away and stood in my yard for a minute or two. Looking around at the other houses to make sure no one was around, I spread my arms out, took a deep breath and fell backwards into the snow and laid there for a good 20 minutes. I'm not sure I have ever felt closer to God than I did laying in the snow in that moment. I felt like He was right next to me. It' felt like God was laying beside me, eating snow and looking up at the falling flakes and whispering in my ear "This is all for you. You are safe, you are where you're supposed to be, I am with you."

Snow reminds me of the incredible childhood I was blessed with. Going sledding on hole 13 of Beckett Ridge with my family, friends and my dog Molly for hours and then walking back to the house for hot chocolate, a fire and Christmas movies are some of the greatest memories I have from my childhood. Back when life was simple and all I knew was the deep love of my family. Snow reminds me of how beautiful life can be and how much God has done for me.

Looking outside and seeing fresh blanket of untouched snow in my yard is just another reminder that God is a God of fresh starts and second chances. God takes this nasty, cold weather and gives us something so fresh and pure and beautiful and clean that's just for us to go play in and enjoy. Life gets crazy and I get lost. I focus on the wrong things, I stress about where I'm going and what I'm doing. My heart hardens and freezes up. Then I take a minute to "be still" and God comes once again and gives me a fresh start. He takes my bitter, frozen, hard heart and breaks it and turns it into a fresh field of snow. He whispers "I am with you" and all that love from when I was young comes back to me.

It snows every year and God blesses me more every year. I stress and worry every year and God brings snow and says to me "Hey I did this for you. There's nothing worth worrying about. Go have fun and be a kid again." I guess all this to say I am incredibly grateful and humbled when I stop and embrace the snow and remember all the incredible things God has done in my life. He gives and gives and gives and gives when I continually struggle and fall and mess up. He is faithful and forgivign and lavishes His love on us like a thick blanket of snow. He covers up all the pain with this beautiful love.

"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow." -Isaiah 1:18

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