Granddad's Rocking Chair...

 

Winter Beauty
 Thank you, Deb Campbell  for the use of your photo shot in the beautiful Smokey Mountain area...

Winter Beauty

Winter has its own beauty for us who live in the country. We see the bare branches as lovely works of art when decorated by newly fallen snow, or when cased in ice with the sun reluctantly shining through their limbs. We see the meadow with its frozen grass standing straight and looking as if sprinkled with diamond dust. We hear the melody of the water in the brook softly running under a sheath of ice. We know the beauty of a dark night with only the stars to light up the vast sky. What a picture the moonlight shadows create, stretching across the fallen snow, and even if there is no moon, we see the silvery light from the snow itself.

We country folk know the delicate marks of the pheasant, a rabbit, and the rare shape of a deer’s footprint stamped in the snow. We recognize the sounds and fragrance of winter because it is far different from any other time and season.  Believe it or not -but a heavy snow filters out the harshness of noise and leaves us with a warm feeling of peace and contentment inside our homes. It is the best time to enjoy a cup of hot tea, or as my friend  Elsie says, “A cup of hot coffee.”

When I look upon a newly fallen snow untouched and unmarred, I think of the pure, clean, sinless Robe of Christ. It does not take long for animal and man to mar the beauty and cleanliness of snow, but the purity of Christ cannot be marred. There are those who try to destroy Him every day, but they cannot; they will never be able to touch Him. No matter what instrument they use - be it pen, pencil, or tongue, they cannot disprove Him. He will forever remain the “Spotless Lamb of God.”

Although I do not like snow and simply hate the cold weather, I must listen when God whispers to me,  “All seasons are Mine. Take each one as it comes and be proud of every day I lend you.” He also reminds me, “Your days are numbered on earth so for the sake of goodness, enjoy them no matter what the temperature is outside."

Therefore, I do thank God for the days He gives me to be with my family and friends, and I am trying to like some things about winter but God knows my heart. He knows I am looking forward to warmer weather. He will help me through the depressing times while I am slipping and sliding through these cold days and nights, and I will no more than turn around until the warm days of spring will slip down from the hills and come dancing across the fields. I will look up and see all those bulbs I planted last fall sprout up and come alive with color just in time to welcome the little birds back home. My backyard will come alive with a symphony from the tweeters. My roses will bloom again...I cannot wait for the fragrance of honeysuckles to fill the night air; Oh the heavenly scent of an apple tree in bloom...

I will put away the three sweaters, two coats, snow boots, thick socks, denim pants, hat, gloves, and long johns I wore (All at the same time!) this winter. I will sit back in the rocking chair on my front porch and enjoy the sights and sounds around me, especially the warm breezes of spring.

Paul said, “I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

I am still trying to contentedly live in the moment but I often "Blow it." Because I’m still dwelling on the "good ol’ days" by daydreaming on what I could have had, if only….not really living in the now. I have good intentions of starting out each day as being the best day of my life but for some reason something will throw me into the worry mode and start worrying about stuff. Mostly stuff I have no control over.

I listen to the daily news and I find myself asking the same old question, “Lord, what will this bring? Will we be blown away by a terrorist group, or will the country fall into a deep depression? What will happen with the wars raging, how many more of our men and women will lose their lives?” All these things float around in my head  until I remind myself how ridiculous I am for even thinking along these lines...What will be-will be.  Then, I picked up my Bible and started reading. I read from Deuteronomy... This is beautiful scripture. Please mark and read the whole Chapter 11  when you have your devotional time. I am stating verses 11-15 (This is Moses addressing the people)

11…. But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: 12... A land of which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. 13…And it shall come to pass, if ye shall harken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul….14…That I will give you rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil….15…And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, and thou mayest eat and be full .

This whole chapter speaks of obeying God. If we are doing so, He will take care of His own. No matter what may rage around us, if we obey His commandments and love Him with all our heart and soul, we have nothing to fear. Nations may rise against us, disasters may come and things will occur to put us in a state of panic I feel sure, but with God on our side we should not fear…verse 22-23…For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you…Then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves….

 Sometimes I feel our nation has fallen away from God. The eyes of America are looking in the wrong places, but God has not forgotten His true followers. He will lead us through any disaster, will hear our prayers and provide our needs, accordingly.

This land is a land of hills and valleys. Our life is not all smooth and downhill. We must have some of the rough and uphill stuff, too . If we did not, we would grow slack in remembering to Thank Him for the blessing. It is the hill difficulties that drive us to the throne of grace. The bleak hills of life that we wonder about, worry about, and perhaps spend a lot of time grumbling about, are the very showers that rain down the "Showers of Blessings." We do not know what trials and sorrows we have coming in our future; we do not know what our loss will be.  But we can rest assured that our Father will come to take our hand and lead us down the pathway we must go whatever may happen. With Him holding our hand, it will be a blessed year, all year.

~Mary Frances King