Snow Down = Slow Down!

Psalm 148: 7-8

Photo by Elaine Marchbanks

“Praise the LORD from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths, fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather that obey him” (Psalm 148:7-8, NLT).

NOTE: A special shout out and thank you to all those essential workers, like the staff at Eden Terrace and others for whom the snow does not mean slow! It means more work, more patience, more kindness, and more sacrifice. We are grateful. God bless you.

For me, the best part of SNOW coming down is the SLOW slowing down it automatically creates. In general (at least in the south!), we stop going while it’s snowing, which results in much more deliberate decision-making about who, what, where, when, why, and how we do what we do.

Personally, I have been surprised and delighted at what the recent IceUp and SnowDown weekends have offered:

At long last, no doubt trailing decades behind most of you, I read The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. To think, this treasure has been residing unnoticed and unappreciated in my very own house — at eye level and within arm’s reach.

Last week during the ice storm, I began a book purge of some paperbacks I used in my classroom. I decided to give away my copy of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but thought I ought to read it first (Yes, I saw the movie!). At the end of that book, I wanted to keep going! I knew our daughter, a C.S. Lewis fan, might very well have more of his works on the bookshelf she left behind when she married. She did! Thus, I borrowed The Chronicles of Narnia and hunkered down into my favorite reading chair as often as possible during the IceUp and SnowDown slow down.

As a result, not only do I have a deeper respect and appreciation for C. S. Lewis, I also have a deeper understanding (or imagination) of God’s extraordinary creation, magnificent love and wisdom, and His keen sense of adventure.

Speaking of adventure, though I didn’t venture any farther than my next door neighbor’s house, while there, Wanda laughingly told me about some 83-year-old friends who planned to create snow angels and send pictures to their children. I’m not quite 83 yet, but I felt a challenge coming on, so on my walk back home, I plunged backwards into the newly fallen snow and swept the yard with my arms and legs. Slightly exhilarating and simply delightful! In addition, I discovered my “tacky hat” made from recycled milk jugs actually makes a pretty decent snow hat, too.

Snow angel

Snow Cream Collection Bowls

My next adventure came in the form of making snow cream for the first time in a very long time. It was nearly 10 pm when I traipsed out to collect my snow bowls and begin the magic. Though eating ice cream at night used to prove a prelude to bad dreams, snow cream doesn’t count.

Though I felt a bit silly making a snow angel and snow cream with no children in the house to share the experience, it felt even better to know the child within me still has a little liveliness left in her!

And yet I know not everyone experiences the snow in a fun or positive way. For some, it magnifies misery, inconvenience, and loneliness.

If that’s you or someone you know, you may find comfort and solace in the words of an author quoted in *Streams in the Desert on the very weekend of our big snowfall. And guess what? Her last name is Snow! Snow kidding!

In researching Laura Anna Barter Snow, I discovered she lived from 1864 -1939 and wrote several books during that time. The excerpt I read came from Snow’s longer work entitled “This Thing is from Me” written as a response to 1 Kings 12:24:

“‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’ So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home again, as the Lord had ordered”(NIV).

In this passage, God instructs King Rehoboam not to fight against King Jeroboam, in spite of the resulting separation of the twelve tribes of Israel now divided into two kingdoms. Yet imagine the slaughter that was avoided as the soldiers obeyed, turned around, and went home.

Snow focuses her attention on these key words: “This is My doing”(NIV) or “This thing is from Me” (KJV) and encourages her readers to let these thoughts “sink into your inner being, and use them as a pillow to rest your weary head.” She details how temptations, difficult circumstances, pushy people, money problems, sickness, and sorrow can all be used intentionally and mightily by the Lord to help us recognize our need for Him and to look for His sovereign hand at work all around, within, and through us.

Consider the challenge Snow presents at the end of her devotion:

“Today I place a cup of holy oil in your hands. Use it freely, My child. Anoint with it every new circumstance, every word that hurts you, every interruption that makes you impatient, and every weakness you have. The pain will leave as you learn to see Me in all things” (Laura A. Barter Snow).

From Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman (57-58).

The entirety of Snow’s message may be found here: “This Thing is from Me”

May we rise to the challenge of learning to seek and see God’s hand and help in everything that comes to us.

Father,

Thank You for Your sovereignty over weather, kingdoms, rulers, circumstances, and life! Thank You that even when we don’t like or understand what is happening around us, we can trust that You are able to bring good from it.

Thank You for the beauty and the slow down of the snow down. Help us to reset our “All, but Only” priorities to focus on what counts for your Kingdom.

In the name of the One who deserves to be praised and obeyed, Amen.

Photo by Ginger Cox

The Wobbly Warbler invites you to sing along with “Whiter than Snow” written by James Nicholson in 1872. Isn’t it awesome how this inspired hymn is still familiar over 150 years later?

What was the most delightful (or most challenging) part of your Snow Down?