in manifold witness.

winter is my least favorite season. the trees are bare. the wind feels as though it is ripping through my skin with knives. and of course - it's cold. i, for one, do not like being cold. i don't know many people who do actually. the cold reminds me of the dementors in harry potter. it sucks the life right out of ya with its arctic blasts and bone-chilling temperature. (not to mention: dry, cracked hands and static electricity.)

i could list ten other reasons as to why i dislike winter, but something is different this time around. it's like a stirring deep down in my soul, forcing me to look beyond what i physically feel and see. in doing so, i see little bits of beauty in ordinary winter sights.

like bare trees. their branches are stripped of their leaves. they stand through the bitter winds and snowfalls, never complaining or trying to force their blooms to open. they wait, patiently, for the cold of winter to gradually fade away. when the dawn of spring emerges, it is then that they begin to soak in the sunlight. blooms adorn those once bare branches, commanding beauty and admiration.

or grey skies. with its cloudy days and early sunsets, winter's skies draw an overcast. after days of gloom,  sunlight appears - either gradually peeking through the clouds or all at once, kissing rosy cheeks and lifting spirits.

and then there's the cold. some days the air is so cold that it goes beyond my skin and into my bones. layers and scarves and blankets and two pairs of socks cannot keep the chill away. yes, there are warmer days ahead, but the days spent indoors are not to be ignored. i can unplug from electronics and grab a book. sip coffee or tea from a cute mug and have a uninterrupted conversation with the ones i love. write a letter or turn the music up and have a dance party in my pj's. making memories can happen indoors, too.


winter is like the hard times in life. it's hard to see beyond right now, but God is there in the midst of the constant, bitter cold and dark skies. and before long, the sights and sounds and feelings winter brings will fade away into spring blooms and warm breezes and pastel colors.

summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
join with all nature in manifold witness
to Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

thomas o. chisholm