How frozen was the world of late!
The icicles clung for days on end,
sculpted by an artist’s hand.
A sea of sparkling glass glittered
upon the lawn…
How the trees shimmered:
ice-glazed perfection.
Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping, is the earth
beneath this crystal sea.
No need to wake as yet; spring will surely come.
A lovely crocus will make her debut; she will bloom;
yes, she will bloom amidst the ice and snow.
The storms of life they come and go:
ships wait to make their passage.
We wait too, upon this fragile shore of life;
we shudder, should all that crystal suddenly shatter.
A Heavenly Craftsman is at work; we need not fear.
We give the storms of life to God; His hands can hold
a crystal sea, both here, and in eternity.
We did have an ice storm in Virginia! And we have had a mix of snow and ice and sleet. Needless to say, we were snowbound in the house for a time. I thought the thaw was coming, but we had a dusting of snow again last night. It has been so very cold!
Our Corgi still needs her walks, so we have bundled up and spent some time outdoors. (My husband has been doing more of the walks than I have.) Still, when I do go on these ‘winter walks’, it is beautiful!
I found this photo that I have of some of my sea glass pieces. I love sea glass! It reminds me that glass only gets more lovely the more time it spends in the ocean. Each piece is unique and a treasure unto itself.
A sharp piece of glass is polished over time. From beginning to end, the journey of a piece of glass tossed into the sea could be many years in the making. Who knows where the journey began? It has always fascinated me, that at once something so random, and yet, so incredibly beautiful, is crafted by the sand and sea.
A key ingredient in this artistic development is time. It takes time to smooth the rough edges. It takes time for change to occur.
I think of our lives, the changes we go through, and ‘grow’ through. I think of the storms we have weathered, the storms that shaped who we are as people. Without the storms, we would not have become as strong as we are.
I have often marveled at how incredibly gorgeous it can be after a storm. It is as if the sun never shone quite as bright. The sky was never so blue. The earth just seems brand-new!
When a storm passes, we sigh a breath of relief. The danger has passed. A new day has begun. We thank God for His shelter provided in the midst of the storm.
One of the things I love about living in Virginia is the change of seasons. I am surely a ‘summer person’, but I do not want it to be eternally summer. I like that the palette changes from one season to the next. I cannot wait to see the first daffodils in spring, and for the landscape to fill in with color. I anticipate summer with days at the beach and tending to flowers and vegetables in the garden. I am always enchanted in autumn with the leaves changing color and trips to the mountains to pick apples. I am still a child at heart when it comes to the first snowfall in winter.
Change is sometimes hard, but it is also something we come to expect. Each season is fleeting and then we are on to the next thing. We cherish those apples partly because we know the apple-picking season will end. We cherish the daffodils because they will only bloom a short while. We know how special fresh strawberries taste when we pick them ourselves…And strawberry season comes and goes quickly. It is the same with every season under the sun.
Our lives are very much like the seasons in that way. Things are always changing. We have to celebrate the season we are in because it will not return again to us in the same way. It will be different.
I am not an artist, but it is fun to paint. I took an art class with my daughter and my granddaughters, and we each painted a snowman. I hung my snowman painting up in the kitchen. He is a happy-looking fellow!
If I could paint the scenes and seasons of my life, what an awesome composite it would be. I think of my journey, the many people that I have loved, the sights and scenes along the way. I did not always know what was around the next turn, but some wonderful surprises came my way. It must be admitted that even with a lot of planning, the journey of a lifetime is wrapped in mystery. But, really, would we want it any other way?
The truth is, the portrait of our lives emerges slowly over time. The colors blur in places. There are shadows and bright splotches of color. It is a masterpiece created by God. He created us. He loves and adores us. He never wastes an ounce of paint. If we create a splatter, He helps to make the painting better again.
Someday, one day, we will understand the brushstrokes. The journey of a lifetime is both mysterious and wondrous. In the end, it is trusting the hand that guides the brushstroke that matters. (The more we trust that hand, the less paint spills we seem to have!)
God gives us our days, and the seasons of our lives. In the midst of these wintry days, we remember the beauty of a piece of sea glass. How many storms softened the rough edges? How many times was the glass tossed upon the shore and then pulled back into the ocean?
It is the journey that matters. Every storm does end, winter or summer. And when it is over, we are never exactly the same. Like that sea glass, our weathered souls are new again with a patina only God himself could ever create.
Revelation 21:5: “Behold, I am making all things new.”
These are the trees that came down in our back woods during a previous storm.
A blue-sky day in winter!
Amen!
I loved your poem and hour photos, Linda! Winter is cold, but there’s no denying its beauty. Like you, I appreciate having four distinct seasons. Each brings its own gifts and its own challenges. And yes, that’s a great reminder for us as we journey through life!
Thank you! I spent some time on that poem! When you look at something so wondrous in nature, words seem to pale so quickly in comparison. How can you adequately describe the tree branches glittering in the sunlight? Words escape you because of the magnitude of the grandeur before you. I have worried so about the birds in all this cold weather. From the looks of the birds on our porch, they are doing very well! (We will need more suet!)
Everything about how to face life with grace is contained in this post. Some bells tinkle their bells a little stronger for me…
That life is all about seasons. Even in countries without a distinct winter/spring/summer/autumn, people still meet those seasons in their personal journeys – and the seasons are there for a reason: they remind us to hope, to work, to laugh and wish and dream, to reflect and to be thankful, to quiet down as well as to celebrate. The seasons remind us that even in the midst of joy, sorrow can visit, and vice versa.
The seasons stay for their time; no amount of hurrying or urging on our part can send one season on its way and bid in another – which is why, as you so often remind us, we need patience and perseverance for each time we’re in.
God bless you for this post, Linda.
Wishing you God’s blessings as well! One thing I do like about winter is the quietude of the season. As always, the world is full of busy things! Yet, winter brings a hush all its own. I always find that I have more time for reading books, writing in my journal, making crafts, and trying new recipes. Most of all, I begin to dream of spring…to plant seeds for tomorrow. So much of life is planting seeds for the season to come; every little dream counts, every step in the right direction makes a difference.
How fitting your poem Linda…yes. give the storm to our master craftsman, The bigger the storm the deeper the etches on our lives. We stayed in Kentucky through the storm and enjoyed a couple weeks of beautiful snow and ice (beautiful but dangerous) there while avoiding the -30 f temps up north.
I sometimes think the beauty of the storm is most seen later, from afar and realized slowly as a bigger picture comes into view.
You are so right! Snow and ice can be breathtakingly beautiful. They can both be extremely dangerous. We did lose power for several hours, but we were very lucky. A number of years ago, due to a hurricane, we were without power for a number of days. I agree with you about looking back at life’s storms in retrospect. We see things differently from a distance. Perhaps, that is where the ‘silver lining’ shines the brightest.
There is beauty in the snow and ice. But I’m ready for spring now. 😂
I’m glad you and yours were safe, and that your pup got his walks!
I am glad the storms are behind us!!! Like you, I am ready for spring…counting the days! 🙂
🌼
Gorgeous post – the words and the photos. Here in NE we got over two feet of snow during that storm. Gloriously beautiful, but gosh I wish it would all go away now. But the icicles are still hanging like stalagmites and refusing to surrender to the mid-February sun.
“It is the journey that matters. Every storm does end, winter or summer. And when it is over, we are never exactly the same. Like that sea glass, our weathered souls are new again with a patina only God himself could ever create.” BEAUTIFUL!!
Thank you! You had so much snow!!! It has been a long time since I have seen two feet of snow. We have been watching the winter Olympics, and the scenery is so beautiful. It has been a long time since I have been on a pair of skis. I was never much more than a novice, but the mountains were so lovely. Anyway, spring is around the corner!
Your poem is lovely, Linda. And all that snow, how glorious to those of us who didn’t see a single flake this winter. Your photos are beautiful; you’re right that winter is wonderful despite being cold and occasionally problematic. 😀 I enjoyed your reflection on the season and on seasons in general. Nature always provides the perfect metaphor for human life. Enjoy the view and trust that spring is on the way.
Thank you! I did enjoy the beauty of the season, but I am looking forward to spring. I love to watch as the woods begins to fill in with greenery. There really is nothing like springtime. I made some valentine’s wreaths for my daughter and my daughter in law. I am ready now to start on the spring and Easter decor! I have a whole bag of craft supplies waiting for me!
Spring is right around the corner!
Beautiful pictures and beautiful post Linda. As an unprofessional artist myself, I am curious on how your snowman turned out. Try to stay warm up there.
We were able to ‘cheat’ a bit with our snowman paintings, so all of them turned out pretty good. We took an evening painting class and the materials were provided. The artist who taught the class had drawn the snowman in pencil, (The shape of him), on the canvas. We had a list of instructions, but we could improvise and do our own thing. I would like to do more painting with acrylics because it is so much fun. My snowman did not look exactly like the instructor’s snowman, but I am happy with it!!! Her painting had fine drops of falling snow. My little snowman has more of a blizzard going! (Maybe I will put him up on a post one of these days!)
Sometimes having a sketch to paint over helps especially for a first time. And yes, acrylics work really nice. I am sure it turned out great and I am happy that you got to experience that.
I think it is fun to ‘dabble’ with paint, even if you are not an expert. My grandchildren love to paint, and they have made some paintings for me. I have them on the mantel of our fireplace. They are ‘true artists’. Whatever they paint, it is from the heart and full of love. What else can we ask of art? A work of art is painted by the heart. 🙂 (This is spoken by a woman who has saved so much of her children’s artwork…all four of them! Now, I save all the artwork from the grandchildren. You should see my refrigerator!)
Your post is a gift this morning, Linda. Thank you for the poetry, the photos, and your lovely thoughts. All of creation speaks of God, giving us beauty and wisdom! Thank you for this reminder and inspiration.
Yes! “All of creation speaks of God.” It is a gift to us, each and every day!
Linda, thank you for sharing the beauty of your winter snow. You poem is wonderful and thought-provoking and your reflections on the influence of storms in the natural world and our lives leaves me in a reflective mood.
I am happy that this post resonated with you! Winter is indeed a time for deep reflection. There is the cozy warmth of the fireplace, and the sheer wonder of winter’s ice and snow. Every season has its gifts. Even if I am cold in the great outdoors of winter, I celebrate the moments. It is a time for counting our blessings! (My favorite winter thing is to watch the birds; though winter may be harsh, they flourish, drawing closer to the house and our bird feeders!) They shelter in the bushes by our front porch and they ‘huddle’.
Love those winter scenes. And the promise of Spring.
I am looking forward to spring! It will be Easter before we know it. We are getting a lot of rain this week…It is time to get outside and start cleaning up the yard after all these storms. (It will have to wait until we get some sunny days.) 🙂
I love your photos here, Linda. We just emerged from a winter storm, too. I enjoyed your very thoughtful post. ☀️
We are expecting snow again tonight! Right now, it is raining. My daffodils have started to come out. (They are ready for spring!) I am ready for springtime also!!! 🙂 I am glad that you enjoyed my post!
That poem is stellar, Linda! It’s wonderfully reassuring to know our Heavenly Craftsman has everything under his sovereign control–the storms of the atmosphere and the storms of our lives. I do feel that, over the decades, God has polished away some of my rough edges of impatience, gabbiness, self-centeredness, negativity, and more. Still room for improvement, of course, before I resemble the singular beauty of sea glass!
Thank you, Nancy! Yes, it is reassuring to know that we can trust God with all things. Ecclesiastes 3:11: “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” The world changes, but God does not change. He keeps His promises and His timing is perfect. We may not understand the storms, but God is there with us in the midst of each and every one.
AMEN, my friend!