You Are God's Best Idea! Daily Epigram for: January 18, 2012

"Truth is like the weather, pleasing some in a moment,
displeasing others in the next, changing while changeless and true."-Douglas Holzmeier

There are several inches of fresh fallin’ snow on the ground as I type these words – several inches higher where the winds have given it a kiss. I’m not a big fan of snow.

Snow represents winter to me. Not a big fan of winter. I grew up in the 1960s and 1970s in central Ohio – near Columbus. Although this may be an exaggerated childhood memory - I swear there were winters where once the first snow fell around Thanksgiving – my neighborhood resembled Antarctica until Easter. This meant lots of slipping and sliding walking to and from school and I wasn’t the most coordinated kid to begin with. Our house was a bit on the drafty side, too. Maybe I still haven’t gotten over the infamous Blizzard of ’78 when the entire family huddled together close to the fireplace for days! (And there was no hot or cold running water – if you know what I mean!)

There certainly are some positive memories associated with wintertime. There was some frolicking and sled rides – but lots of snowballs to the face and snotty noses. I just don’t do the wintertide well. There are just as many other people who live for the post harvest. They love the things that you can only do those three or four months of the year. They may even have businesses that are associated and dependent on snow and lots of it!

The guys and gals who drive the city snow plows are doing what they get paid to do today – for the first time since last February! This is a great day for them. Imagine having your vocation and joy tied to the weather? In SE Washington the Cascades block most of the precipitation from the Tri Cities. We get an average of seven inches of precipitation a year here. It is very dry – and I like it. There are over 300 days of sunshine where I live. So – weather-wise – I am a happy camper most of the time.

Today – there are thousands of area kids who are getting a lovely day off of school. In my youth – a day like this would have meant building snowmen and ice castles. Not sure I see anything like that as I glance up and down Emerald Drive Lane. With the snow - there is opportunity today – a frosty-flaky convenience that won’t require a bowl and a spoon nor add inches to your waistline. Will it be missed – as hopes of a quick thaw overshadow the gift that blanketed us today?

Snow is just a variation on the divine theme that is known as weather - a part of God – a reminder that the Creator is still creating with or without our participation or gratitude. There’s a purpose to all that is - whether (no pun intended) we embrace or resist it. Today’s snow is just as True as yesterday’s sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures. The conditions were so mild I could have taken a long spring-like walk – but did not – missing that offering altogether. And isn’t that what all of this is about – accepting these glorious benefactions? They have to be recognized as such first.

Even weather that seems horrific – like Hurricanes and Tornadoes – are necessary effects that have beneficial effect. It is all energy and it is moving in and out of form all the time. We know that Hurricanes are the way Mother Earth cools herself. When opposing weather fronts meet in the middle - storms unfold. The wind knocks the old and dead branches from the trees – making room for the new. The accompanying rain bathes and renews and flows to the rivers and seas we immortalize in song and prose. It is all Good and all God.

Maybe today’s snow is the Universe nudging me to come out and play? Maybe this is God’s way of saying – before you shovel me to the side in disgust – pick me up – notice how not a single flake is exactly like the other. Pack and form me into One. Notice how all those individual flakes crystallize into the One - with just a little attention and intention? Notice me – before sister wind and brother sun move me along.

Come on – let’s play – I promise – it’ll be pleasing. Who knows - maybe you'll even see a Snow Angel?

You Are God's Best Idea!

~Douglas Holzmeier

Author of You Are God's Best Idea! Divine Acceptations and Living the Undeniable Life! (Balboa Press/Hay House)

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