winter worship ...

"Nature is God's tongue. He speaks by summer and by winter. He can manifest himself by the wind, by the storm, by the calm. Whatever is sublime and potent, whatever is sweet and gentle, whatever is fear-inspiring, whatever is soothing, whatever is beautiful to the eye or repugnant to the taste, God may employ. The heavens above, and the procession of the seasons as they month by month walk among the stars, are various manifestations of God." Henry Ward Beecher.

unassuming ... undefiled ...

elegant ... innocent ...

spotless ... untainted ...

"Grant me purity of heart, that I may honor you."
PSALM 86:11b

I woke up this morning at 6:15 ... no new snow! The weather folk had predicted 4-9 inches by daybreak. Perhaps it had passed us by. I went outside at 8:20 to fetch the paper for Mr. Jones, who has been ill for the last four days. Our driveway was completely dry and there were only remnants of snow here and there, where it had been shoveled into piles.

But less than an hour later, the snow started and really hasn't stopped all day. I went outside and cleared the driveway at 1:30 and we'd gotten that 4 inches and possibly a little more. I walked up Samrick to see if the horses were outside and snapped these pictures.

I love these words by Mr. Beecher. I love all four seasons and what they reveal about God. How great He is! I will say that winter gets a little bit stretched out here in Michigan, but God is in charge of when it snows and when it doesn't ... not me! "This is the day the LORD has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!"