“Be merciful to me, O God, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge until the destroying storms pass by. Psalm 57:1

Surviving Winter

Just as I was wondering how any life could possibly exist in the frozen outdoors, a chickadee, its feathers puffed up as insulation against the cold, perched in the barren lilac tree outside my kitchen window. It seems that God has provided all living creatures with the ability to survive extremes of weather. While some creatures migrate to warmer places, others adapt, finding shelter in holes, trees, logs, or just huddling together for warmth under layers of leaves. There are those who grow thick fur and hibernate. Their body temperatures and breathing slow down drastically, while their heartbeats drop, in some cases, to only a few beats per minute. Thus they sleep the winter away, conserving energy at a time when food is scarce. It is a world reduced to mere survival. But while some of us migrate to warmer places, the rest of us simply adjust ourselves to the changes in weather. It is a good time to slow down, give thanks for food and warmth and families, pray for those who are hungry or homeless, and work to find ways to help provide for their needs. The winter will pass and we will survive.

lhart@gwi.net