It is quiet here at 5:15 am.
Outside, a chilly -12 degrees Fahrenheit, and there are 4-5 foot drifts
in the driveway. Yes, we are snowed
in. How glorious. It has been a long time since that happened. What fond childhood memories this stirs. I recall blizzards and white outs that
prevented us from seeing the red barn that sat not more than 70 feet from the
house. I envision those five foot drifts and
piles of snow that reached above the roof line. Snowball fights, snowmobiling, hot tea and hot
chocolate, the fireplace by which to warm ourselves when we came in from the
cold. Family. Home.
Feeling safe and happy in our home. Great joy.
My brother and sister wish we had this weather when we were
home for Christmas. Normally, I would
not be here to experience this. However,
I am still recovering from a brain injury that occurred nearly two years
ago. I am mostly fine, but there remain
a few glitches that prevent me from working or being able to live life on my own. And at this moment I am thankful, thankful to
be here, soaking in the quiet, the glistening landscape, the crispness of the
night sky that only happens at arctic temperatures. Ah, I feel like a child. In fact during the snowstorm, I donned my
snowmobile suit and stepped into the driving snow and wind to capture the
glorious vistas before me, make a snow angel, and take a selfie while lying in the snow before returning to the warmth of
the house. Ah, the joys of a youthful
spirit.
Dad is gone to the North Woods, so it is quieter than
usual. Mom has not been able to go to
work, and actually the bitter and very dangerous wind chills caused the
schools, many businesses and churches to close the past two days. The winds are to die down later today and the
snowplowing will begin in earnest. Within
a day or two life will return to normal.
We journey through life with these little moments of pause and
grandeur. It can be so easy to resume
life as we know it without fully grasping the gift we have been given. We literally set aside the glory, joy, love, and fulfillment we have felt during these times. I, however, don’t want to
file these away for the history books. I
am not speaking of living in the past, but rather in the moment, i.e., actually living our
lives in such a way that we experience breakthrough and the joy that comes from living in abandon toward God. There
is a reason that Scripture tells us that the joy of the Lord is our
strength. Joy is powerful, and I want to
embrace the richness of each vignette, letting it envelop and become part of me. I want to live my life going for the joy and
delight of living in the abundance we are promised, and spreading it like my
nieces spread peanut butter, getting it all over everything.
I feel so blessed to have been given a rich
life, one filled with intimacy with God, His Presence, family, friends, joy, opportunities to give to and serve
others. I feel so blessed that God loves
me and shows up in more ways than I ever thought possible. He loves me.
I am His favorite. He is proud of
me, even when I blow it, because I am His daughter. He will give me the desires of my heart, and
He will always be with me because love never fails. And since God is love that means He never
fails; He always succeeds. So even when
life is less than you might want or even worse than that, remember that God
loves you and wants more for you than you can imagine. (See Jeremiah 29:11-13, Isaiah 43:1-3, and the
book of John.) He will show up in brain
injury, unemployment, heart attacks, abuse, and other situations horrific and bleak. And I promise you that He will show up for you, often
in ways that delight you and bring peace.
For me, in this moment, it is in five foot drifts of snow, starry
nights, and solitude. What is it for
you?
I pray you are warm and feeling loved in this moment,
feeling seen, and feeling that you are His favorite, too. Bless you.
Until next time…
Isaiah 43:1-3a (NKJV):
But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
