Winter Wonderland

Well I hope you survived the weekend. Like usual the weather wasn’t as bad as everyone was predicting. However Saturday was a little crazy. We went to Mount Vernon for my brother Darrel’s graduation from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. It started to snow during the ceremony and by the time it was over the roads were a mess. It took us two and a half hours to get home, but it was a beautiful snow.

My tendency however wasn’t to enjoy the snow but to worry and complain about it. On the other hand my brother’s son knew exactly what to do, he made snow balls and threw them. He wanted to throw them at me but I convinced him to throw them at my car instead.

If we’re not careful something happens when we grow up. We lose the wonder of things. I don’t’ want to lose the wonder of winter nor of His creation. Neither do I want to lose the wonder of Christmas and Christ’s birth. Mary didn’t want to lose the wonder of Christmas either and so even while the shepherds were still worshipping at the manger, we’re told that “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:18.

When is the last time you pondered anything? The word ponder means to consider, converse, and consult (Strong’s) Mary was thinking to herself, in her heart, what was going on that night as well the significance of everything that had happened up to this point and everything that might happen in the future.

Though she could have been tempted to worry or even complain about the long hard trip, the unpleasant lodging, and the uncertain future she didn’t. Instead she saw that night as a Winter Wonderland.

Maybe it's a stretch but next time it snows do yourself a favor, and ponder the wonder of the snowfall. Better yet make a snowball and throw it at. . .your car.