winter

It’s snowing today and for the first time since I moved to Michigan, I’m delighted to see the snow. As my time here in Berrien Springs comes to a close I’m cherishing more and more the things I’m going to miss when I’m gone. This fall was the most spectacular I’ve ever seen. Just walking or driving I would be stunned by the awesome beauty of the colored leaves. There was one tree in particular, no matter how many times I drove by it I was surprised by how vividly it was colored.
And now that it’s snowing I find myself delighted by it! When I step outside in my coat and hat and fill my lungs with the cold air it’s such an exhilarating feeling. There’s something so healthy about being outside in the cold. The air is so cold it feels pure and unadulterated, so unlike the muggy water-filled air of the summers here. My cheeks and nose flush pink from the cold and I can see my breath.
There’s something so “Norman Rockwell” about a cold winter day. I have visions of children in brightly colored scarves making snowmen and throwing snowballs at each other in their front yard. Last winter I remember one day in particular when Jimmy and I were driving into downtown Berrien Springs at night and it was snowing. The main street with its antique street lamps and sidewalk covered in a fresh layer of snow was one of the most romantic scenes I’ve ever seen.
And then there’s the immensely overabundant beauty of each snowflake. Each one is crafted uniquely and they are so fragile. Why did God create such beauty that no one but him would see? Millions of snowflakes fall and maybe a half dozen are carefully observed. Such excessiveness amazes me. What a God we have!