“Wielder of weather ... may the quiet hush of creation prepare us to hear your still, small voice. May the cold increase our desire for the warmth of your love.”
The Silence
of the Snow
The threat of a winter storm of any size comes with great anxiety. Travel woes and ever-present worries about securing enough grocery staples dominate local newscasts, amplified even more when significant accumulation or frigid temperatures are in the forecast for memorable, even historical snow events.
But such weather events also bring rare opportunities to “hunker down,” simplify, and just be. There is a certain silence to the snow, when traffic comes to a halt, when the noisiness of everyday life is dampened by the whispers of Mother Nature.
Can you hear her?
This is a perfect time to pray, pausing to appreciate God’s wonder and the quiet that He insists we bear. It is a time to extend care and concern to those around us who might need a little extra help to weather the storm .... and accept precious opportunities to just be the best of ourselves.
As you just be in the safety and comfort of your home, surrounded by loved ones or even simply alone, take a moment to listen to the silence ... when, for a brief time, the differences and disagreements we may share with our neighbors fall away, and we are united by the storm.
We wish you safety, warmth and peace during this weekend’s weather and hope that you may be filled, even momentarily, with God’s peace and the inner joy of a child embracing the endless potential that a snow day brings. God bless you.
IN THE MIDST OF WINTER
A Prayer by Cal Wick
Lord: In the midst of Winter, when the days are cold and wind can pierce ... remind us of the warmth of your love.
In the midst of Winter, when days are short, dawn comes late, and dusk arrives early ... remind us that, in the darkness, your light still shines.
In the midst of Winter, when the flowers of spring still lie hidden in the earth, when leaves are off the trees, and the world can seem bleak ... remind us that Easter is but a short time away.
And when in our lives we feel as if we are experiencing a season of winter ... reach out to us with the power of your resurrection so that we may feel the warmth of your love and see your light that alone can take away the darkness of our soul.
