Song in the Snow

This week, we weathered another winter storm.  The snow plows have only now fully cleared our neighborhood streets, but that hasn't kept us from work, school or playtime with Nana.

On Tuesday, as I walked in the snow to the library to study, I noticed something strange.  The only sound to interrupt the silent snow fall was the sound of birds singing.  We don't hear many birds during the winter (most are smart enough to fly south!) and no one could mistake the inclement weather for an early spring thaw.  Yet, here were the birds chirping in the midst of our winter storm.  Their song was startling to me in a way that it wouldn't have been if the day had been warm and sunny.  After all, one expects to hear birds chirping in the loveliness of spring.  The joyfulness of the birds' song was quite out of place in the context of the winter storm, however, which is what made it so curious, so wonderfully noticeable, so irresistible.

A light shines brightest in the darkness, doesn't it?

There are so many storms in our world today.  The storms are personal, they might be within our families, they are certainly societal and global.   In spite of these storms, God has a song of Good News for each one of us to "sing" with our lives.  His song is a message of love and peace, of truth and hope and mercy, shown perfectly to us in the life, death and resurrection of Christ.  When we live according to this message in spite of the hardships and storms of life, our lives can be just as striking to others as the birds' song was to my ears this week.  The true joy of the children of God is a stark contrast to the storminess of life.

Lord, make my life a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.   May it ring true and joyful for my family, my friends and everyone I meet.

Happily Ever,
Queen B