_ I was giving Hamish a quick walk today around the small enclave of homes in our neighbourhood.  Making a few loops until we got to our mailbox so I could post some mail.  After Hamish did his ‘business’ and I put it in a bag, I decided to take a shortcut to the public bin/trashcan, as anyone who has owned a dog knows you want to get rid of those kinds of bags super quick!

The grass was frozen near the road but I quickly found out that the rest of the grass wasn’t.  The grass looked muddy, and although I am used to mud when I walk Hamish, it was deceptive.  It was the suck your feet, can’t pull them out, what was I thinking walking here, quagmire.

I was immediately literally stuck and when I tried to pull a foot out it went deeper. I took one foot out, leaving the trainer (sneaker) behind.  I pulled with both hands, with all my might, and managed to get one shoe out.  As soon as I put my shoe on, and tried to walk on a firmer bit of ground, the same thing happened again.  And no amount of pulling was making any difference; I couldn’t get my shoe out.

I knew the only way out of it was to leave my shoes behind and try it barefoot and I had to take the risk of getting really stuck.  Thankfully I managed to quickly walk to frozen ground and walk home barefoot, muddy and still with my bag of poop. 

How quickly we end up getting as stuck and helpless in life when we take our eyes off Jesus.  We try and take shortcuts only to realise that it ended up taking us twice long.  We think something isn’t ‘that muddy’ and we can handle it, but quickly realise it’s a quagmire.

Things can suck us in quickly in life, one thing leads to another and we can soon realise we have got ourselves into a bad situation and we don’t know how we are going to get out.   It could be a sin that we don’t admit to ourselves that it is a sin at the time but we realise when we face the consequences of it. 

Or it might have been a slow steady drift off the path, nothing big or bad but we realise we aren’t walking with God anymore.  Suddenly we look around and wonder how we got ourselves in this quagmire situation. 

“He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” Psalm 40:2

God is patient and forgiving when we come to Him.  After He lifts us out and we are walking with him, God shows us how we got ourselves into the mess and how we can learn from it.  He steadies us as He teaches and shows us all over again how to walk with Him.

Is there something in your life that you need to stop now before you get in any deeper?

Does God need to rescue you and restore a relationship with you?  You have to ask God first for help, and repent or you will be stuck in that quagmire.

Or maybe you are in a pit of despair, depression and it seems you have been there so long you don’t believe you can ever get out of it.  God will get you out, He is the only who can.  Turn to Him and trust in Him that He can deliver you. 

The snow and ice disappeared as quickly as it came.
The tree really was bending over near our roof.

Anthony had already moved a big branch the day before.  This was just the start of it in one corner of the garden, more fell during the day but I wasn't going near the window when it got bad!

__ On the 2nd morning we were without power there was a lot of crashing and jumping out of my skin with loud knocks on the window.  With the weight on the snow on the trees it was bringing down branches and the pelts of ice and snow were hitting the window occasionally.

Our trees are so near our roof.  While everything was crashing around me I was hoping and praying no big tree would come crashing through the roof.

I was looking outside through the glass window and saw the big pelts of snow crashing down and I stayed indoors as it would have been stupid to put myself in harm’s way by leaving the relative security of my home.  Hamish‘s reflexes are way faster than mine but even he knew to stay indoors during the worst of it.

Are you going through a storm in your life? 
Does everything seem like it’s crashing around you?  Are you scared?  There are many types of storms we go through, it’s not easy at the time but when we turn to God we realise we are ultimately protected and safe.

“The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. “ Psalm 18:2

If you are a Christian are you turning to God, just looking at Him and not concentrating on the storm around you?  Sometimes we act like we don’t have protection, standing outside alone in a storm.  
Do you need to turn around and see you are in the rock – that God will protect you?  Or are you staring out seeing and hearing the 'snow pelts' thrown at you and forget you are seeing it through a 'glass window' as you are safe inside in God's protection?

If you turn to God and put your trust in him, you realise that the storm is going on behind you.  It’s not as scary anymore.  You can see how God is protecting you, whereas when you had your eyes on the storm you weren’t looking to God, trusting in Him.  If you have your eyes on the storm, the disciples did the same thing -

“Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.  The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” Matthew 8: 24-27

Jesus was right beside them but they thought the storm was more powerful than Jesus. 

Jesus was right beside them but they weren’t looking to him they were concentrating on the storm. 

Jesus is right beside you, do you need to turn around and see Him?

Jesus is right beside you, wanting to help you through it, will you let Him?

Jesus is right beside you, do you have faith that he is?

Jesus is right beside you.
 

_ Last time we looked at how faithful God was in the storm.  Today we follow up with ‘despite me being an idiot!’

I knew it was going to snow but didn’t think there would be a power cut.   I was either totally unprepared or half prepared in some areas.

After our last power outage we had bought a BBQ thinking we could use it if we ever had a power cut. But the BBQ was outside, snowed in with freezing lines and discovered the gas valve had been left open.  We don’t have a shelter outside for it, so it may be helpful in a power cut if there isn’t freezing rain or snow!

I was aware that you could buy those small individual gas burner (portable gas stove) that you could use indoors if you have a lot of ventilation, but didn’t buy it as I thought the BBQ would do instead.

I had bought a miner’s torch (a torch on a headband so you have hands free light to do other things) in case this happened but I didn’t have the right batteries for it.  All week this was brought to mind but I kept forgetting to buy them.

We didn’t have the heating on overnight so the house was already cold by the time of the power cut (in case you were wondering how our home got so cold.)

In the Pacific North West we are encouraged to have 3 days emergency kit in case of disaster. (3 days 3 ways)  We don’t have that either (but slowly building it up).

As soon as the power went off, the verses that came to me were Matthew 25:1-13.  Did I have such a ‘duh, if only’ moment!

Are you going to have a duh moment, either when Jesus comes again or if you die in a sudden accident? It’s too late when you stand before God to do anything about it.  You can’t say, well I’ll try and negotiate and say I was a good person.  Or I’ll do it tomorrow or look into it more when I have time. 

That is why there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth because so many people will realise that the gospel being preached here was true, the only way to God was through Jesus and they never accepted Jesus as their personal saviour. They didn’t trust in Jesus alone for salvation.  It is going to be too late then.  Please if you are not sure you are going to heaven do something NOW about it – come to Jesus.

If you are a Christian, don’t be like me being half prepared in the storm. Are you living like it’s your last day on earth in light of eternal life?  God places people in our life for a reason, do they know Jesus?  It’s not our responsibility for them to accept Jesus, but it is our responsibility to share the gospel with them, praying for them.  It shouldn’t be a duty but a love for them – we want to do it.

Are you living life as preparation for eternity? Or are you half prepared – you might be saved but are doing your own thing.  You know Jesus is coming back but you are not doing any ministry or purposeful good works, Jesus isn’t Lord in your life right now.  And finding out what God’s plan is for you and doing it, isn’t a priority.  You have been on fire for Jesus once, but you have lost steam.  You forgot we are just visitors here, this isn’t our home. (Hebrews 13:14) If Jesus comes back right now, would you be ashamed? Would you feel surprised, caught unaware?

We lived in the Midwest with brutal bad winters and Virginia had a particular bad winter (the snow came up to the metal mail box!) and we didn’t have long power cuts there. Here in Seattle, the winters are mild. But we have a lot of trees here where we live and it’s the trees that are bringing down the powerlines.  I knew this but still lived like it wasn’t going to happen today.

One of the first things I did when I got my power on was to order one of those portable gas stoves I can use indoors.  I am not going to live in regret but I am learning my lesson and moving forward. 

Don’t live in vain regret of what you could have done sooner; when you come to Jesus and repent you don’t have regrets. (“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10)

As Christians we live with whatever time we have left to live, to live it to the fullest in Jesus. (John 10:10)

_ Our snowed in days were followed by a power cut affecting 270,000 people.  When we first moved into our home we were without power that winter for 4 days and nights but back then we weren’t snowed in.  I thought it would be the same again as that was the timeline given for power to be restored, but thankfully we were only without power for about 30hrs and got it back just a few hours ago.

We didn’t have power so no central heating, phone, or any way to have hot water for a cup of hot tea*
or hot food (oh for a gas stove!)

But things we were truly counting our blessings and were thankful for – hot water to wash and warm ourselves, our recent dog door (to minimise cold air coming in from opening the back door.)  It was also used like a fridge door as through the flap we could grab milk we put in the snow outside!

We were so thankful for our small gas fire. It kept the room about 50f during the day and a bit above 40f in the evening.  It isn’t powerful or big but kept the whole house above freezing as our home is open-plan.

Hamish didn’t seem bothered. He just lay right in front of the fire.  He would have known it was suddenly very cold but he felt the heat from the fire that was provided and he enjoyed the provision.  What a wonderful immediate lesson it was for me. He didn’t panic or moan about the circumstance, as he was with me.  So following on from our last talk I got out my bible studies, some I was behind in and curled up by the fire, experiencing again the two lessons from our last time together: *God is better than a hot chocolate on a cold day by a fire and God is my source of warmth and joy!

God provided my needs - I had a fire.  Just like Hamish was OK with what was going on as he was with me, I was OK because God was with me and had everything under control.  I was trusting in Him.  It’s a minor thing and more of an inconvenience to have a power cut, but it’s the same in any situation:  God is our provider; we can trust him and have peace because He is in control! 

I had faith that the fire would work but I had to turn it on.  We have to have faith in God when we pray that He will provide all that we need and will look after us.  Your faith is in God not in your own faith!

Winter nights are long, dark and cold.  But so many non Christians live that way all the time and not realise it.

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 

We may think we are insignificant compared to others or we can’t do much but do you realise you can be like my small gas fire that gave warmth to my home? 

Non Christians are in the cold and dark and they don’t realise it.  You can bring God’s word to them, praying their spiritual eyes will be opened so they can be in the warmth and light when they accept Jesus. Just like how God’s word melts the snow, so their hearts can melt when they hear God’s word through the bible.

“He gives snow like wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes.
He casts forth His ice as fragments,
Who can stand before His cold?
He sends forth His word and melts them.”
Psalm 147: 16-18 

Hamish enjoying our snow.

___
In the Autumn we looked at how good it is to praise God and thank him for Autumn.  I’d like to do the same today with winter.  Today we had a sudden pile of snow, so it was a snowed-in day.  I know some of you aren’t that thankful for winter, all the cold, short days and little if no warm sun.  With shovelling snow and dangerous conditions on the road we can get into the mindset of moaning throughout winter.

I am unusual as I have the tendency to moan throughout summer as the sun gives me headaches and makes me feel sick if I am out in it (honestly!)  It can annoy me as I would love to go to hot places and lie in the sun like normal people.  But today I realised maybe I am like this so I can encourage people through the winter! Just look at children, at how they love the snow and have so much fun in it. Hamish reminded me to have fun!

In modern society, for many of us our life doesn’t tend to revolve around seasons.  We still work the same hours in our jobs in winter as we do in summer.  And can be as busy in winter as any other season.  So we often miss the value of different seasons and what each can bring. 
God gave us seasons for a reason. 

I believe winter is a time for reflection and preparation as well as rest.   We need to periodically take stock of our lives and reflect, learn lessons from the past with an eye on the future as to what can be improved upon or done differently. 

The evenings get dark early so it’s a perfect time to have long alone times with God.  To wait upon Him while growing up in Him.  Land needs a time of ‘winter’ (fallow) to allow it to rest and nourish. We also need to take time to rest in God allowing him to be our nourishment or our crops/fruit will become spindly and weak. 

Some of you may know that parsnips and other winter vegetables benefit from a frost but did you know that citrus fruit grown in sunny climates are at their peak in winter? Just like citrus fruit on a dark winter day, we can be that bright ray of sunshine to others by sharing Jesus and showing His love. 

God talks about how snow refreshes the land. (Isaiah 55:10)  It can be a time of refreshment in our life if we see it that way and allow God to work in our lives.

If you miss the sun, just think that there is no sun in heaven.  Don’t panic, there is no sun as God is light.  The sun is a pale reflection on earth of God’s light and warmth. God is our light, our warmth, our source of joy not the sun; on the coldest darkest day as well as the hottest sunniest day. 

Come to God today and rest in Him.  When we are busy that is when we need to rest in Him even more.  He is far better than having a steaming mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows on top, cuddled up and warming your toes beside a roasting big fire while outside the snow is piling up.

Really?  Yes!
If you haven’t experienced God in that more than amazing way, make him Lord as well as saviour today.

 

_For the first time this season, it snowed today. Long gone are the days that Hamish would have fun on his own, discovering things like snow melting on his tongue.  He just wanted me to come out and have fun with him.
(This was only 30mins of snowfall but wanted to capture it before it stopped)

_If you have seen a heavy fall of snow you are struck with how it covers everything.  It covers the ugly weeds as well as the nice flowers.  Virgin snow that has been untouched is beautiful.  If you go into the country and find a hill, if the light is right you can’t tell where the snow stops in the distance and where the sky starts; there is nothing it doesn’t cover. 

Did you know red + red = white? 

It is by the blood of Jesus that washes away our crimson sin making us as clean as snow. 
(Rev1:5 ..”and washed us from our sins in his own blood”).  Like snow that covers everything even the deepest muck, Jesus takes away our deepest sins. 

If you are not a Christian there isn’t any sin that you have done that can’t be covered by His blood. 
But as Isaiah 1:18-20 says you have to want it; you have to come to God for that to happen. 
 “Now, let’s settle the matter.”
"NOW" – don’t put it off as you don’t know if you have tomorrow. 

The ESV puts it “Come reason together”. 
God wants you to come to him - 'Let’s talk about this, if we reason together you will see you can have eternal life with me or it is eternal death.'
Are you being reasonable? 

Snow can break dead wood in tree limbs.  So does Jesus in our lives when we become a Christian, He gets rid of the dead wood in our lives.  Snow can also bring down big strong tree limbs.  If there is pride or stubbornness in our lives, God will rip that out of us - showing us everything we need to get rid of with His help. 

When I look at how snow covers everything I am reminded of how Christians are completely covered by Christ’s righteousness and salvation.

“I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.”  Isaiah 61:10