February often gets a bad rap. The reason being that it seems like winter is at its worst in February. Living up north, it usually starts getting COLD by November. But throughout November and December, the holidays claim our attention, so we are not so focused on the weather. Then in January, we are recovering from the holidays, so the weather again may take a backseat. But come February, we are over it all. Cabin fever sets in, and the cold and snow are no longer appreciated. Add to this, the ground hog telling us that there will be 6 more weeks of winter and we just want to explode!
Down south, winter is not as severe, but considering that southerners are acclimatized to summer’s heat, the dreary rainy cold of winter is equally unappreciated. And by February, we also are over it all!
So no matter where we live, the doldrums of winter seem to hit in February, just like the doldrums of summer hit in August. Hence February’s bad rap.
But let’s think about winter a little bit. Of course, up north, winter brings ice and snow, which can make travel of any kind treacherous. However, I have seen beautiful snowfalls with snowflakes as big as saucers falling silently and gently to the ground. I’ve seen pure white snow conceal all the somber grays and browns of nature’s winter-hibernation. And I’ve seen the morning sun on an icy coating on all the trees that shimmered like a million diamonds. So, even though snow and ice can hinder our mobility, there is great beauty in winter’s handiwork.
Winter also brings short days. It can be very frustrating to drive to work in the dark and home from work in the dark when your workday ends at 4 pm! Something about it getting dark so early can keep us indoors, inactive, and dismayed. But – have you ever seen the moon and the stars on a winter’s night? The air is crystal clear, the sky is as black as coal, the moon is vividly distinct, and the stars sparkle with almost blinding brilliance. It is a sight to behold!
Also winter is cold, usually freezing cold. It can be so cold that it seems like we can’t be warm outdoors in any amount of clothing. There were times that I felt like my bones were cold, even though I was tightly bundled in my long-johns, clothes, extra sweater, coat, hat, gloves, scarf, wool socks, and boots. But how wonderful it felt to come indoors and have a hot cup of tea. Somehow those were the best cups of tea ever! Did you ever notice that there are no bugs when it’s freezing? If any manage to make it inside, they are slow moving and easy to get rid of. Without the cold, ponds would not freeze for ice-skating, and hills wouldn’t become snowy slopes for sledding.
Those are just a few of my observations of winter. I’m sure you could add many more. Winter evokes feelings from just about everyone. Some people hate it and some love it. Most of us are somewhere in between. But think about it… winter comes every year regardless of our feelings about it. We can’t stop winter by not liking it, nor can we start it by liking it. Even if we don’t care one way or the other, winter happens!
As I mentioned above, winter has both positive and negative faces. If you are a skier or ice-skater, winter might be the highlight of your year. If you are a truck driver, probably not so much. For those reasons, we cannot classify winter as all bad, nor can we say it is all good. It’s a matter of perspective and we cannot assert our own perspective as the only right one.
All of that being said, it seems that winter offers some good analogies for life…
Winter comes every year whether we like it or not. The best way to handle winter is to focus on the positives and not on the negatives. Life happens whether we like it or not. The best way to handle life is to focus on the positives of God’s Word and not the negatives of the world.
God’s love surrounds us like wearing an enormous coat with quadruple+ layers of down filling that covers us from head to toe. It might still be cold outside, but we are safe and warm. If we focus on the world, we might as well be thrown in a snowbank in our underwear.
God’s promises are as exciting as doing a triple axel in figure skating. The empty promises of the world are like skating on thin ice.
God’s light shines like the morning sun on ice covered trees. Its radiance illuminates our eyes like fireworks. The world’s idea of light is like striking a match in a blizzard.
God’s words are as pure as an untouched blanket of fresh fallen snow. The rhetoric of the world is like the yellow snow that your mother warned you about.
God’s peace is like snowflakes descending quietly through the sky. The world’s peace is like skidding out of control on an icy road.
I could keep going, but I think you get the idea.
When we with patience look toward the Lord’s return, we understand that everything now in this life is temporal. Remembering that helps us get through life, even in February!
Note to my readers: Spring will be here before we know it – smile! Thanks for reading!