Wednesday, February 13, 2008

February Snowflakes of Grace

It has been a month since I've moved to Minneapolis. The answer to the common introductory question of "Where are you from?" always gets a reaction. I’m catching on that Californians moving to Minnesota is few and far between. I guess it is understood that the desire is to go the other direction. Otherwise, if you are moving to Minnesota it is generally expected that you are either from Iowa (top one), Wisconsin, or North Dakota. Every Minnesotan (everybody) thinks I’m crazy for liking the cold weather (Yes, I love it!), let alone moving here in the middle of winter. They all seem to say that the novelty (my winter honeymoon) will wear off soon! Nevertheless, on the contrary, I hope it never wears off. Granted I haven’t gotten stuck in it or had to shovel it, but snow may have an unusually extraordinary meaning to me than to others.

It was just three years ago on a lightly snowing, January morning in South Lake Tahoe, when I was sitting on a small lake dock with my feet dangling over the icy cold water below. I was observing the panoramic mountainous view that was covered by a white blanket when I was struck by the matchless beauty of a single snowflake that had fallen from the sky and gently rested on my jacket sleeve. I was overpowered by the exactness of detail of this single flake, that I frankly, lost my breath and choked. Every single snowflake is unique in its beauty and design like a zebra’s stripes and our DNA. Such knowledge is overwhelming when you think about mass quantities; for God to know the number of strands of hair on our heads or the grains of sand in the sea.

That day, the Lord made me understand by the details of His hand the extent of His love. Yes, there are so many things that give evidence of the glory of God and I believe if all could see or If I could only explain in great detail the Spirit taught truth, the universe would not contain the joy that came from such understanding. What tips me over the top into ecstatic elation, is remembering because of God’s love, when Christ, who is my life appears, then I also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:4) Whether it is just one snowflake, the blanket of snow on the ground, or a dizzing blast of a winter storm, I am reminded of that one snowflake and the overflow of God’s love toward me.

That is the reason for the silly, snow-induced smile seen here on my trip in Deerfield, IL.