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Winter Psalm – Joyce Rupp and the 2011 Blizzard

February 3, 2011 By Jean Wise

Quite a bit of snow blanketed in my area this week and the news tells me many of you experienced the same blizzard. As you know I am not a fan of winter, yet there is a stark beauty to this.
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Joyce Ruppblank wrote a psalm about winter that fits the weather this week. Its words drew me out of my self-pitiful whining about the weather to new perspective of its beauty. 
*Prayer: Psalm for a Winter Day*

Lord God, creator of all seasons and ages,
I praise you for all that is beautiful in this winter day of February coldness:
the strong, black patterns of trees standing tall,
the utter whiteness of snow as it layers the lawn,
the stillness broken only by the sound of a brave snowbird,
the bush under the rainspout drenched in ice.
Oh, all that is glistening with cold this morning, praise the Lord!
All creatures snuggled away in nests, caves, and trees, praise the Lord!
Oh, all peoples bundled in winter wear, scurrying to work, praise the Lord!
Cars, trucks, and buses chugging along the freeway, praise the Lord!
Cows, steers, and sheep on hillsides, braving cold, praise the Lord!
Oh, crunch and crackle of shoes on frosty snowfall, praise the Lord!
All ponds and lakes deeply frozen and lovely formed, praise the Lord!
Little rabbits leaving deep footprints ‘neath my window, praise the Lord!
Yes, all the winter world, whose beauty we so often miss,
whose weather we so often condemn, praise the Lord,
and bless God’s holy name,
for our world has wonders and tiny miracles
if only our hearts as well as our eyes are open to see.
                                                       Joyce Rupp
My prayer today is her closing words and dovetails to my Tuesday post about seeing as God sees:

   Bless God’s holy name,
for our world has wonders and tiny miracles
if only our hearts as well as our eyes are open to see.

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Filed Under: Seasonal, spiritual lessons

Comments

  1. blankMichelle DeRusha@Graceful says

    February 5, 2011 at 1:59 pm

    I am loving winter this year, which is pretty rare for me — I’m focusing much more on its stark beauty. And the birds at the feeder — beautiful!

    That said…I’m getting ready to whiff the first breath of spring!

  2. blankJean Wise says

    February 4, 2011 at 2:05 pm

    I think Joyce Rupp captured the beauty of winter so well. Thanks everyone for visiting.

  3. blankPhather Phil Malmstrom says

    February 4, 2011 at 4:11 am

    Thank you for the wonderful photos, and the posting of that Winter Psalm. May we all see the beauty inherent in God’s creations through His Eyes and celebrate their Glory.

    Have a Blessed Day!

  4. blankKaren says

    February 3, 2011 at 8:48 pm

    Wow, those are great photos, Jeanie. Thanks for the reminder to praise.

  5. blankPamela says

    February 3, 2011 at 3:54 pm

    “…we so often condemn. Ouch. I better start praising!

  6. blankJean Wise says

    February 3, 2011 at 3:35 pm

    Hi Duane – no yesterday’s storm was quite the exception to our snowfalls. Pretty here today though with all the clean white snow and the sun shining. thanks for visiting!

  7. blankDuane Scott says

    February 3, 2011 at 3:11 pm

    Do you normally get that much snow?

    Pretty pictures!

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