Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

It's snowing in Chicago today!  Really the first snow of the season.  I was just thinking yesterday that it would really feel a bit more like Christmas if there were some snow.  Now I am the first one to say that I hate to drive in the snow.  But it really does make it "seasonal"!  The picture above is one of the first memories I have of "winter".  It's from that same time in Aberdeen, South Dakota that I have been blogging about.  That's my brother Greg and I am 4 years old.  I've come to realize that, for me, lots of important stuff happened in those years when I was between 3 and 6 years old.  When I saw this photo I was remembering the snow.  We had LOTS of snow!  If you notice, I am wearing really big and ugly boots (my brothers hand me downs).  But they kept my feet warm and dry.  I remember that this same winter I learned to ice skate in the ditch next to the highway that was just a couple of doors away from our house.

Everyone talks about the years of the "big snows".  And there are always different years for different people.  In Chicago, there was a BIG snow in February 1967 (which was before either Ken and his family or my family moved here.)  For me one of those "big snow" year memories was the winter of 1978-79.  That year we had snowstorm after snowstorm after snowstorm.  It seemed to snow every week.  And the snow piled up and up and UP!  I especially remember this year because I was pregnant with Gwen and I shoveled lots of snow that winter.  Our neighbor across the street would always run out and insist on finishing up the shoveling if he saw me out there.  Ken was working 45 miles away and was gone from home more than 12 hours a day.  So clearing the drive was left to me!  At one point we had to shovel the roof because of the weight of the snow!   And our small yard had so much snow that I could no longer throw the snow on the pile.  All you could see of our house was the snow and the second floor windows.  Yep, that was WAY TO MUCH SNOW!

When I look out the window today I am so thankful that Jesus has washed my sins away and now I am "white as snow". I love Psalm 51- especially verse 7 -  "Cleanse me with hyssop and  I will be clean, wash me and I will be whiter than snow"  And I was thinking about those really ugly boots I have on in that picture.  Isn't that just like the ways that we try to cover up our sins?  We find things to hide behind and think that our sins are hidden from Jesus. Sometimes the cover ups make us feel warm and safe, but that is always a lie.  The only way we have to be free of our sins is by the blood of Jesus.  And then our sins are not covered up or hidden.......... they are TAKEN AWAY! Yes, I love the way snow reminds me of the best gift I have ever been given - Jesus.  So today, the snow is really making me feel "Christmas-y"  Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Jesus, thank you for your plan to bring us not only forgiveness of our sins, but also FREEDOM from our sins.  Holy Spirit, what an amazing gift you give us as you draw us to Jesus.  Thank you for Christmas, for snow and for your great love.  Amen