When I was a boy growing up I never looked forward to January. It was a time of short, gray days and long, dark nights. The bitter wind here in the mountains made waiting outside for the school bus very painful. The windows were covered in frost, the sidewalks were slick with ice and the water pipes to the house would freeze at times. Even the floors were cold when I got up in the morning. The Christmas decorations had long since been taken down and the tree thrown away. The holidays were over and now it was just Winter.

Over the years, though, I began to find that Winter had its own unique set of joys. Snow days off from school were a pure pleasure with sled riding, making snowmen, and snowball fights with my brothers. The winter sunrise was a sight to behold. Its beauty made my heart warm on the coldest days. The woods seemed to take on a special beauty when they were covered in snow. They sparkled like crystal on the quiet mornings. Thick socks and warm sweaters were a delight. I would pull them on and then sit in my chair by our stove to read books on the dark Winter eves. Warm meals around the table seemed to hold an extra happiness in the Winter months. They made our bellies full and our hearts fuller. Watching Cardinals at the bird feeder with my Mom always made us both smile. They were a special reminder to her of God’s love during those bleak Winter months. And the sunshine after a snowfall made the whole world glow with light. It was almost like a hint of what Heaven must look like.

The seasons of our lives here all have their own unique joys. It is just up to us to find them. It is just up to us to create them. Let God keep your heart warm even on the coldest, darkest days then. Fill your life with the sunshine of kindness and joy. And let your love fly like a Cardinal ,from heart to heart, during the Winter as well as in the Springtime.