Sister Winter

It’s cold.

With our eyes focused upon the weekly forecast of potential snow, rain, or other frigid temperatures, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about Sister Winter.

Many have commented to me that Easter is early this year.  As we plan our ‘Easter Egg Hunts’ we not only have to plan on rain, but snow contingency plans.  Lovely.

With Easter being so early it can draw us deeper in the season that the Church refers to as Lent.  Though not all take part in some form of observance, most could probably relate to this season being a time of prayer, sacrifice, and fasting.  This is a time in the church where we try to get out into the wilderness, spiritually speaking.  What better way than for us to have Lent during the winter.  Easter comes with the new birth of Spring and we see life being renewed, but we still need that wilderness experience of winter.   

Unfortunately, for some reason God seems to do the best character-development work when we are in the wilderness.  Throughout the Biblical text we see men and women out in the wilderness and in the ‘wintertime’ of their spiritual lives and walk with God that God decides to do something new.  Jesus himself went out into the wilderness and was actually led by the Spirit into such a place.  If I was God, then we would learn the most in the summertime of our faith, but I am not God.  And in fact, we glad – God knows what He is doing.  God’s ways are different than our ways, and often – we need to be out in the wilderness. 

Don’t be afraid of the winter.  If we are honest with ourselves, we find ourselves there more often that we like.  The circumstances and situations of our lives have placed us in periods of restlessness, frustration, anxiety, and depression.  As difficult as those places are, God shapes us there.  Embrace the winter – spring is coming.       

“Oh my friends I've begun to worry right

Where I should be grateful, I should be satisfied

Oh my heart I would clap and dance in place

With my friends I have so much pleasure to embrace

But my heart is returned to sister winter

But my heart is as cold as ice”

 - Sufjan Stevens