areliablefaith

I was at my parent’s home in Northeast Georgia this week when a snow storm hit.  They got 6″ of snow overnight and the morning dawned a crisp, clear winter wonderland of snow and sun.  I got my camera and hiked around in the woods and then hit the roads to see what I could see.

I was out in the snow the night before and I enjoyed the intense quiet of a world muffled of sound by the blanket of falling snow.  I had the feeling of being in a majestic cathedral empty of anyone except for the Ever-living One and myself.

As I slowly walked through the woods that morning I paused thinking I would again be surrounded by silence but instead I heard the sounds of a forest coming awake.  The birds were calling, in the distance a dog barked, and interestingly, every few seconds I would hear a rustling and a gentle whoosh.  I paused to ascertain the source of the sound and finally I saw it.  From the very tops of the trees, where the sun was just hitting, a clump of snow would release and fall to the ground.  The clump did not remain a clump for long, but usually struck a lower branch and burst into a fine powdery cloud floating to the ground.  If I was facing the sun the cloud of snow dust became a cloud of sparkling diamonds fluttering to earth.

The worshipful feeling was again strong as I enjoyed the beauty of God’s creation without manmade sounds other than my sometimes labored breathing and the click of my camera.  It’s amazing how majestic the mundane can become when it is clothed in a fresh mantle of pure white snow.  It reminded me of what Jesus does for us when we give Him our lives and put our trust in Him.  A holy exchange takes place.  We give up our sin-stained outer garments and we put on a robe of Christ’s righteousness.  From Isaiah 1:18 we read, “Come now, and let us reason together says the Lord.  Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.”

I walked through the woods and along the road simply praising and clicking, praising and clicking – it was glorious.  I had in mind to try and get a view of Yonah Mountain, a local peak that is a few miles away from my parent’s home.  While I didn’t succeed in gaining a good vantage point, the search took me throughout the neighborhood and to many great pics.

As I stood at the end of the road with fields on either side that were surrounded by trees weighed down with snow another lesson came to mind.  I was still mindful of the whoosh of snow as a tree would shed it’s burden so I was watching with camera ready to catch the event.  I am sure I was comical looking to anyone watching.  I would be pointing at one area waiting to catch the snow just as it released and I would hear the whoosh off to my side.  Whirling to the sound I would snap a picture of a branch devoid of snow and whatever snow cloud had existed had vanished.  Of course you know what happened right after I turned… that’s right, the snow whoosh would occur back where I had been pointing just a moment before.  That lesson was that patience and trust are two key attributes I still lack.

Looking at the rows of trees bent over from the weight of the snow I thought how they represented people weighed down with the cares, worries, and problems of life.  I had even seen signs where some had broken limbs and suffered damage due to the weight.  As I stood watching and waiting, I realized the magnificent sunshine was melting enough of the snow in the trees that the burdens were slipping off all around.  As the upper limbs became unburdened, they stood up a little straighter and reached a little higher as if offering uplifted branches in thanks and praise to the sun that had set them free.

I realized we are the same.  We are often burdened by the difficulties life can bring.  But Jesus promises He will never leave or forsake His own.  Whatever challenge we face, we can do so knowing that the Lord of the universe is with us in the midst of it.  And just like those trees along the field we just need to patiently trust in the Sonshine to relieve us of our burdens.

I smiled and headed for home, happy for the lessons in the snow and somehow walking a little lighter realizing that a little more of my cares had melted away too.  While I wasn’t going home with the great shot of a snow whoosh, I had a reassurance of the Lord’s tender care for me and for you that was so much better than the perfect picture.

But just for good measure, the Lord provided a great opportunity to catch some snow whooshes in the final walk home.  I hope you enjoy the pictures and lessons as much as I enjoyed getting them.

Here are a few other of my favorite pics from my walk in the Sonshine and Snow.

Be blessed today and be a blessing.