In the Midst of Winter

It snowed today - that beautiful snow globe kind of snow that just makes you want to stay inside and curl up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate. Ok, so at no point today did I do either of these things, but it was still a good day. David and I just got in from shoveling. Isaac, much like his father, wants nothing to do with snow. Thankfully, it wasn't too cold out and the chore was actually somewhat enjoyable.

This morning, I read an article in the paper how this was supposedly the most depressing day of the year for those of us who live in northern climates. The holidays are over, the bills have come in, we have failed at our new year's resolutions once again, and spring seems far in the distance.

It reminded me of a saying that used to hang in an office I worked in - "In the midst of winter, I learned there was in me an invincible summer." I think it was by Albert Camus. Winter is not always only a physical season, but also a state of mind - a time when everything seems bleak and sunshine is a rare commidity. Within us, however, is the hope for a better tomorrow, a tiny spark of sun that never goes out. That sun is the spirit of God within us. We are all children of God and if we trust in him, that light will never go out.