Looking out my window at all this snow we have around here (20+ inches) started me thinking about a children's lesson I had taught a long time ago on the Treasures of the Snow based on the Bible verse Job 38:22. I was not able to find the lesson in my teaching files so I did an internet search and found this article. It is amazing how fitting this is to our recent snowfall even though it was written in 2003.
Religion in Daily Life
By the Rev. Edward Chinn, D.Min.
"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing," said comedienne Phyllis Diller. For Phyllis, the snow is an image about doing housework. The recent blizzard of 2003 here in Philadelphia was a tough one for us, but it didn't break the record. On January 7, 1996, 30.7 inches of snow fell on Philadelphia. In the Bible, God poses this question: "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?" (Job 38:22, KJV). When the author used the word "treasures," he meant "storehouses." Taking the word "treasures" in its modern sense of something valuable, what treasures can we find in snow?
In snow there is the treasure of pace. In an editorial in The New York Times are these words: "Along with all the other things that a storm like this delivers-inconvenience to most, severe risk to some, death to a few-it also delivers a strangely uplifting sense that life might just be lived at a different pace . . . The storm brought an almost meditative calm, time to slow down and remember, once again, that human life can be lived only within the frame of nature" (NYT, Feb. 18, 2003). The snow made us have a change of pace and such a change can give us a new perspective on life.
In snow there is the treasure of power. A single snowflake seems so small and fragile. Nevertheless, snowflakes can combine their efforts and become a powerful force. Snowflakes decided the destiny of Europe in 1812. Napoleon's army had 500,000 men. This grand army marched against Moscow in Russia. Then, the snowflakes came one by one. The power of a snowflake defeated Napoleon. Only 68,000 beaten Frenchmen returned to Paris. Alone, a single snowflake doesn't count for much. Together, however, those snowflakes remind us of the power of teamwork as they brought Philadelphia to a near-standstill. Vesta M. Kelly said: "Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together."
In snow there is the treasure of purpose. Snow can serve a useful purpose. After ransacking a house in Pelham, New York, a burglar backed his car into a snowdrift. The license plate on his car left a perfect imprint in the snow. The police soon caught him. Snow serves a greater purpose as it melts in the mountains. It provides water for streams. These streams become mighty rivers that turn the turbines in electrical power plants. The snow gives water to irrigate the earth and prepare the ground for seed time and harvest. The prophet Isaiah used snow for the purpose of symbolizing God's forgiveness: "The Lord says, "Now, let's settle the matter. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow (Isaiah 1:18).
Again, Isaiah uses snow to show the effectiveness of God's message:
"My word is like the snow and the rain
that come down from the sky to water the earth.
They make the crops grow
and provide seed for planting and food to eat.
[11] So also will be the word that I speak-
it will not fail to do what I plan for it;
it will do everything I send it to do" (Isaiah 55:10-11)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The "DIY"Dish!
This is a great site for all sewing and crafting buffs. Watch this introduction video and then subscribe to watch more "how to" videos and get some great craft ideas!
Trying Something New
I am going to try something new and begin blogging. I am not sure how well I will keep up with this. I have a hard time writing letters on a regular basis because everyday seems to be the same. Not much happens from day to day. Today is the beginning of an adventure for me. So stay tuned and see if I am up to the challenge
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