deafening silence

Snow has a way of causing us to just stop. It doesn't have to be a blizzard that covers everything in sight with a thick blanket of clean, white powder. It can be just a dusting that covers part of the driveway and the yard; but the blades of grass still show, and some of the gravel is still visible. No matter which snowfall you receive.....people just seem to stop what they are doing and watch it snow. I know I do. My favorite part of snow is the silence. It's like God uses the snow to insulate the world around us. I enjoy standing outside in the snow as it falls and listening to the deafening silence. There is no distracting sound. I don't even hear the birds, but I see them in the trees. All I can hear is myself breathing. Its a cold air that enters with each breath, and it seems to waken the memory banks. The memories of all the snowfalls that I experienced growing up...... no school for days at a time........ sledding for hours........ bowls and bowls of snow cream....... snowball fights....... trying to ride a bike down a snow covered hill (do not try). And, with each memory of all the playing I did in the snow.....I remember just stopping long enough to listen to the silence. No matter what I was doing, the silence would always get my attention.

I know that the "winter storm" that passed through the other day wasn't a major snowfall for the record books, but as I walked outside........there was the silence. Not much snow, but a lot of silence. And in the silence ........I listen. God had used this snowfall, like all the ones before, to make me stop.......and listen. I didn't need to rush anywhere, or see to this or that, or answer any questions, or even ask any questions. I just needed to stop and listen. With all the busyness that can take over our lives and cause us to rush here and there, isn't it amazing that God can use a little dusting of snow to remind us that He is in control. A snowfall is His way of getting our attention at just the right time so we will stop what we are doing..... take a deep breath of clean, cold air..... and listen for the silence so that He can speak to us. All the distracting sounds are gone. Its just you and God.

Listen.....