So I have a question....is surviving a Canadian Winter enough to gain sanctification?
Probably not, but it sure does give me a whole lot to offer up when I have to walk through inches of snow, sleet and ice, and somehow manage to keep my head afloat and avoid falling flat on my r...
So why write about it. Well, as I started my trek through the snow, ice and the -20 C temperature this afternoon, I am dreaming about how nice it would be to have a second car I could be sitting in a nice, warm car, and picking up my boys from school in this nice, warm car, as well.
What do you think were the first words from my younger son’s mouth when he saw me? “Are we walking?” He lets out a loud sigh, when I respond with a resounding “YES!”
As we are walking, I try to keep our minds off the chilling wind on our faces, by engaging him in conversation about warmer things...I began to sing the jingle from the Polar Express...”Hot, Hot, Hot, Hot Chocolate...” which brings a smile to his face, albeit temporary.
As we are trying to avoid slipping on the patches of ice on the sidewalk, we take to walking on the snow covered boulevards, which is a more adventurous path for the boys anyway, and if they fall, well it’s part of the fun, so much so, at times I think they dived into the snow, purposefully.
As my older son is also resisting the temptation to complain about having to walk, he is reminded (by me of course) to “offer it up” and then I think, is this walk in the freezing cold weather, a way for us to gain our sanctification really?
It is such a small sacrifice in the grand scheme of things, but it is a sacrifice none the less. We take consolation in the fact that after our 20 – 30 minute walk, there was a warm, cozy home waiting for us, where we enjoy all the comforts of home, including of course, a rich, hot chocolate drink.
It got me thinking about all those, who are out in this freezing cold weather, with no warm, cozy home to go to, and then I remember that no matter how hard I think I have it, there is always something I can give, to help someone else who has less. I know I have an extra blanket, coat or sleeping bag, somewhere in this house.
It also brought to mind, how reflective this walk in the cold, is to our journey on this earth. For the most part it is filled with sacrifices and trials; we too can take consolation in knowing that our warm, cozy, love filled home is waiting for us. Our destination is heaven, our journey is long and arduous though along the way, as we try to make the best of it, we have those moments of joy and happiness, even if they are only temporary.
