 |
| Photo by Bob Daveant |
Winter has set in with its chilly, gray days overcast by gloomy
clouds that blend in with the branches of barren trees. Too many days in a row
like this tend to get me down. Recently, God encouraged me through these words
by Margaret Silf:
“Perhaps the presence of gray can invite us into solitude,
offering time and space for reflection. . . It can open the gateway to a whole spectrum of subtle
colors that we never expected to find hiding in the gray . . . a kind word resonates gently through our day; a time of reflection draws us into
deeper reaches of ourselves; a good book opens up vistas, invisible in
the brighter light.”
I gaze out our sliding glass doors as I mull over Margaret’s
words and God sends me a vivid picture of just what Margaret is sharing. A
brilliant red cardinal alights on the leafless branch of a dormant tree. In
other seasons, the proliferation of colorful leaves would make him difficult to
see. But on this monochrome day, I can’t miss spotting the cardinal—a sight
that takes my breath away, a bright gift revealed by the colorlessness of the
day.
Likewise it sometimes takes a gray day for me to become
aware of the glorious, tingling presence of God all around and within me. The vibrancy and busyness of life, like the recent Christmas season, can make it difficult to find time for God. Instead,
it is in unhurried, contemplative moments when I can reflect and say, “Ah! Yes!
I see You, Lord!”
Maybe winter isn’t so gloomy after all!
“Indeed, the fountain of life is with you. In your light we see light.” Psalm 36:9
Blessings!
Pam
©2016 Pamela D. Williams
