Last night all fifty states, even Hawaii, had at least one location that experienced below freezing temperatures. Over the majority of the land white “sheets” have been pulled up and in some places there is so much snow one has to say white “quilts and fluffy comforters” have been pulled up tucking in the bears and beavers for a long winter’s rest. Icy winds have stripped the trees of their leaves and now in their bare beauty we see their dark skeletons reaching up to the sky. It’s a fine time filled with sleds, hot chocolate and fireplaces with crackling flames casting moving shadows across our rooms. It’s a time for coats, boots and gloves. Earmuffs and parkas with fur collars tipped with frost surround our reddened cheeks. It is entrancing to watch our breath swirl before our eyes. I miss the old single-pained windows that would frost up with Picasso-like crystal engravings. It was such fun to put one’s finger into the window-art and watch it melt away only to refreeze when we withdrew our fingers.
Soon Thanksgiving will have come and gone. We will be inundated with music and decorations reminding us that it is time to shop. Sometimes I hear folks complain about the commercialization of the season, but I don’t mind. It is a good thing to be reminded that we should find something for those we love and for those who do things for us. Giving is good for us. Each gift given makes us more like the One who gave everything for us. Each present bestowed says, “I appreciate you. Thank you for making my life better.” It really is “the most wonderful time of the year.”
Written by Roger Bothwell on November 19, 2014
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org