Posts Tagged ‘snow’
Storm Journal
I have written on the snow previously. You are likely aware that we are in a blizzard here in Washington. The video below was called to my attention by New Advent site and the Deacon’s Bench Blog. It is a fascinating time lapse of storm on last Saturday.
I also include my own photos here Msgr Pope Photos of Storms on Feb 6 and 10 if you’d like to look at them. You can click on slideshow or view them individually. They depict the storms of the past week in various stages. I enhanced a lot of photos I took today and filtered out the blizzard whiteout effects so they don’t make it seem as bad as it was. But at least you can see a few things!
And here’s the wonderful video showing how God really piled on.
When God Says, “Stop”
It’s snowy in Washington. According to my ruler there are 28 inches of snow on the ground in front of the Rectory. It’s still snowing. Add to that the blowing and drifting and even walking is ill advised. To get to the plowed street where you can reasonably walk requires you to go through knee high snow. As Nor’easters go, this was a big storm. Even midwest cities would be challenged by this.
And God says, “Stop.” In today’s reading Jesus challenged his disciple to come aside and rest a while. (Matt 6:31). We seldom take his advice and run every which way. But today God insists, at least in Washington and the Mid Atlantic. All around the city families are actually home and talking to each other. Parents are actually with their children for an extended time. Married couples are getting to know each other again, if even for a brief time. Families are actually having dinner together in their own house. And yes, there’s also the bad side. Irritable moments, getting on each other’s nerves, cabin fever. In some places God really put on the pressure. There are power outages which prevent TVs etc from blaring. Why some people are even rediscovering the art of conversation and telling stories. Quite remarkable actually. And, dare I say it and dare I hope it? Yes, I will! Perhaps nine months from now there will be a bevy of blizzard babies to baptize. Yes it would be nice to have a few more babies to baptize, may God provide the gift of new life.
And so God says to the busy soul, “Stop.” Relax, reaquaint, rediscover and rejoice.
Well, OK, I do admit that there is SOME extra work when it snows. Here’s a brief look at what a neighbor was doing today. I also had to spend and hour or two shoveling a path in front of the Church! Ah, but it was a good work out.
Finding God in the Snow
It’s snowing in Washington. Not every one likes snow but is it an amazing work of God. He takes a barren winter landscape and creates it anew. I can almost hear the Lord saying, “Behold, I make all things new!”
In the modern world we often walk past the glory of God and hardly notice the gifts that God daily provides. I am mindful of the movie, “The Color Purple” when the main character “Ceilie” admits she is angry with God. Her friend “Shug” says, “I think God gets mad at us when we walk through a field and miss the color purple.”
Tonight and tomorrow I don’t want to miss God’s gift. It is true, it comes at the price of cancellations, and other weather related hardships. But MAYBE just maybe, God can get a few of us here on the East Coast to stop, for just a minute and rest a while and behold his glory. Getting snowed in is a wonderful chance to become reacquainted with our family and even our very selves. And just looking out the window and marvelling at the snow as it falls with a hypnotic and calming steadiness can be a prayer if we think of God who sends it. Where ever you are on this planet, don’t walk through life and miss the glory of God!
In the Book of Sirach there is a beautiful and poetic description of God and the majestic work he creates even in the “dead” of Winter. Enjoy this excerpt from Sirach and spiritually reflect on the glory of God in winter.
God in Winter:
- A word from God drives on the north wind.
- He scatters frost like so much salt;
- It shines like blossoms on the thornbush.
- Cold northern blasts he sends that turn the ponds to lumps of ice.
- He freezes over every body of water,
- And clothes each pool with a coat of mail.
- He sprinkles the snow like fluttering birds.
- Its shining whiteness blinds the eyes,
- The mind is baffled by its steady fall.
- Sirach 43, selected verses
Enjoy this video that recalls for us the joy and wonder of a snowfall that many of experienced when we were young:
