Rest and Rejuvenation

I am not especially fond of winter.  Winter tends to be wet, and cold.  I do not like to be neither wet nor cold, let alone both at the same time!   I do not like driving, walking, or skating on ice.  If you have seen the movie Cool Runnings, when Dareese first tells Sanka about the idea of getting together a Jamaican bobsled team, Sanka's response to it is much like my response would have been.  When told that bobsledding was essentially driving a push cart down an icy shoot, Sanka said, "ICE!  As in snow and cold and ICE!  Forget it!"

However, winter has its place and is a part of God's planning.  Winter is a time of rest and rejuvenation.  Trees go dormant (not DEAD!), taking a break prior to the big rush of growth that will happen in the spring.  Animals find a nice cozy den and sleep off the fat they stored up in the fall.  Even some species of butterflies go into a sort of hibernation.  The Eastern Comma is among the handful of butterflies that ride the Ohio winter out as adults, tucked behind loose bark or in dense brush piles, just waiting for spring.

We all need a period of rest and rejuvenation.  Our bodies are simply not meant to be on high alert all the time.  GO, GO, GO tends to lead to high blood pressure, ulcers, back pain, and a host of other medical issues. 

Winter also has its own sort of beauty.  While I do not like to drive in snow, I can certainly recognize the beauty and perfection of a snow covered field, not yet spoiled by footprints or an icy crust.  I can also find humor in the snow.  The photo below, while being very simple, holds a very wonderful memory for me.  My youngest daughter and I were hiking at Conkle's Hollow SP in Hocking County, Ohio, a few Decembers back when she suddenly declared, "Look Daddy, a toilet!"  I nearly cried from laughing so hard. 

Use this winter to rest weary bones and a weary spirit.  Find humor in unlikely places.  Spring is just around the corner!