Here in the south, snow days are rare. But last weekend, we experienced a full day of beauty as falling flakes fluttered to earth.
Navigating a snow day alone is different from one with family gathered around, or children in and out, rosy-cheeked, laughing, and dripping with melting snow. A solitary snow day is a time of reflection, stillness, inwardness, and thankfulness for the beauty of creation.
Following are reflections on a day of snow:
Venturing Out
Early on the snow day, when the roads were still drivable, I went to the gym. As I turned from the main road into a side street, I realized, despite the beauty around me, there was an element of danger as I slid sideways. Thankfully, no cars were nearby, and I made it safely into the gym parking lot.
Confidence is a great quality, but sometimes, we fail to recognize the hazards beyond our self-assurance. Awareness tempers blind self-confidence. At times, slowing forward motion protects us and provides time for reassessment.
The Sound of Silence
One of the gifts of a snowy day is the sound of silence. No other sound exists exactly like the quietness of snowfall.
For me, that meant no traffic zooming down highway 29, no cars speeding past my house, and no sirens from the fire station close by. Even the birds were silent.
The peace this type of silence brings is beyond explanation. It is a peace that pushes aside fears and frustration and wraps us in the knowledge of a Creator who sees us, loves us, and protects us.
Pristine Appearance
The word “pristine” is a perfect descriptor for snow: not spoiled, corrupted, or polluted; pure; fresh and clean as, or as if, new. The snow day was just that, unspoiled, fresh, and clean.
That night, the combination of a full, silvery moon and a covering of snow rendered the night as bright as day, thus enhancing pristine appearance. For a day and night, the world around me was a shimmering wonderland.
However, the following day, it didn’t take long for the blanket of white to become marred. An animal carved a wobbly, unsightly trench across my deck. The milky ribbon of street turned to brown sludge as cars plowed through it. Piles of snow were soon tinged black with road grime. What was pristine the day before, now no longer was.
What Lies Beneath
Snow covers the unsightly, smooths rough places, and gives the appearance of evenness. Yet, despite a snow covering, thawing lies ahead, revealing what lies beneath.
Sometimes, we try to cover our transgressions the way snow covers the ground. We all have things in our lives we keep hidden from others. It would be nice if we could erase life’s ugly stuff the way snow hides imperfections, but that is only possible through the grace of a loving Savior, who redeems, washing us white as snow.
All that lies beneath is not unsightly. Now, with a few days of thaw, green grass appears in my yard, signifying renewed life, growth, and hope. Seeing this green reminds me of the goodness of life now, and the promise of eternal life to come.
“Come, let’s talk this over, says the Lord; no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool!” (Isaiah 1:18 TLB)
©CandyArrington
Candy Arrington is an award-winning writer, blogger, and speaker. She often writes on tough topics with a focus on moving through, and beyond, difficult life circumstances. Candy has written hundreds of articles, stories, and devotions published by numerous outlets including: Inspiration.org, Arisedaily.com, CBN.com, Healthgrades.com, Care.com, Focus on the Family, NextAvenue.org, CountryLiving.com, and Writer’s Digest. Candy’s books include Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well (Bold Vision Books), When Your Aging Parent Needs Care (Harvest House), and AFTERSHOCK: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide (B&H Publishing Group).
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