It's Friday and we haven't had school since Monday. Massive amounts of snow are still piled up everywhere, streets are still snow covered and icy, and bitter cold temperatures are not helping the situation at all. After a week of sitting at home, I had to get out and run some errands so with my husband as my chauffeur, we made our way out of the neighborhood. As we're making our final stop at the pharmacy, it began to snow.
My first reaction was "You've got to be kidding me!" Then I looked up and watched as the snowflakes floated gently down. I suddenly saw the beauty of each perfect little crystal and a peacefulness washed over me. There was something so calming about the scene and I said to my husband, "It's so pretty!" Of course, his reaction was, "You've got to be kidding!" And because he was wearing his grumpy pants today (you know it's true, John, so don't roll your eyes), he proceeded to point out to me everything that was un-pretty about the falling of more snow.
I agree that the prospect of more snow is exactly what we don't need but even realizing all the additional problems this could cause did not negate the beauty of this softly falling precipitation. My husband was looking at the messiness of the world around us while I was looking up. I saw beauty, he saw ugliness. It occurred to me that the difference was our perspective. When I looked down, I too saw the possibility of car accidents, more snow days, and freezing pipes. But just by changing the angle of my line of sight, I could shut that all out and concentrate on the peaceful beauty of drifting snowflakes.
You're following along with me, aren't you? You know where I'm going, don't you? How easy it is for us to focus our attention on the messiness of the world around us--violence, unemployment, abortion, drugs, divorce. But when we change our perspective and look up, God's love, grace, and mercy can completely change our attitudes.
So, as the weatherman keeps predicting the probability of more winter weather, I'm going to try to keep looking up. How about you?
Often times it a 'conscious' effort I have to make - or we all have to make to LOOK at the positive side of things and SEE God in the little things as well as the big things- And I am SO MUCH happier when I do keep it positive. I think seeing the negative is a tool of the enemy- and is detrimental to our mind-soul and spirit.
ReplyDeleteWe were thinking the same thing yesterday! I posted about hearing the voice of God...'tis so true how our perspective changes everything!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the beautiful words!