What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

First Snow...A Story From the Past Updated

My friend Annie at Cottage By The Sea is doing a "Tuesday Four" questions blog today, entitled "Do You Want To Build A Snowman"  (click on the link to see the questions and her answers...

Well, I didn't exactly do the four questions because we don't live where there is any possibility of snow anymore. However, that hasn't always been the case. For many of our adult years we lived in various parts of the frigid north in the winter, and I have had many wonderful experiences with snow...(and some NOT so wonderful!)  We are thankful to live in Florida now, our home state, and not have to deal with snow and ice and all that goes along with that.  But Annie's questions reminded me of a time when we had first moved up north to Ohio, and our three sons were little, and this was their very first experience with snow.  I originally posted this story here many years ago on one of our "Random Journal Days", as it comes from my own personal journal.  I thought perhaps you might appreciate this little story from our past today.

So here is the original post from 2012:
Little Scotty at Our Big Old Interesting House in Winter


HERE IS MY RANDOM JOURNAL DAY OFFERING FOR THIS WEEK.  The following story is a continuation from last week's post  "Alarms, Sirens, Whistles, Bells and Things that Go Bump in the Night" These stories all come from my personal journals written when my husband was attending seminary in Ohio many long years ago. I hope you will enjoy the:  
"Part IV of the continuing saga of the Steiner Family Giant Leaps of Faith and other crazy moves..."

Proverbs 31:21 "She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet."

I'm not sure what "scarlet" has to do with clothing for the family for winter. Scarlet usually means red or bright red colors. Red denotes warmth, so perhaps that is what is meant. Anyway, I think the idea is to be prepared for winter! Make sure your kids have their mittens, scarves, hats, boots, jackets, snowsuits, etc. all ready before the first snowfall!

From the beginning of autumn in our new Ohio home we watched for snow everyday! All summer long we had scoured the garage sales for winter clothing for all of us. Little by little we found all of the articles we needed. I found for myself a full-length wool coat with a hood...it was two sizes larger than I normally wore, but for $2.00, it was a great deal! I figured I'd fill up the gaps with lots of sweaters underneath. We had visited some friends from New York State who spent their winters in Florida, and they provided my husband with a wonderful men's black wool overcoat, and gave me a nylon ski parka and some ski boots! The boys were outfitted with ski masks, boots, mittens, and garage sale jackets. We were able to purchase some snowsuits reasonably as well at a great sale. My husband even bought a couple of used snow shovels from a family moving to the south! So we were well prepared when the first snow fell.

Scotty and big brother Benton-first snow!!



Matthew and Benton enjoying their first icicles!
I'll never forget that day! It was November 1st. We woke up to a winter wonderland! Fortunately, it was a Saturday, so we could go out and play all day! The boys made their first snowman, and Scott, our two year old, ate as many hands full of snow as he could get in his mouth! We were all so excited, we hated to go back inside, even though our hands and toes and noses were practically numb.


We were soon faced with the grim reality of winter weather. Upon entering the house, the phone rang. It was one of our church members informing us of the tragic automobile accident of one of our elderly couples early that morning. The man was killed instantly, and his wife suffered from multiple injuries. Someone had skidded on the ice and hit them head-on on a bridge. Suddenly our beautiful winter wonderland looked formidable to us. We hadn't yet tried to drive on it. It's one thing to be physically prepared for winter with all the right clothes, and have the pantry stocked with extra supplies in case you get snowed in, and have plenty of wood for the fire stacked and easily obtainable, but it's quite another thing to be mentally prepared for the realities of what winter can really do to you if you aren't experienced in the art of survival on the roads.

But more than that, the importance of being spiritually prepared to meet our Savior at any time comes more into focus in the wintertime. I have probably prayed more fervently on the roads in the wintertime than at any other time of the year. I've prayed more diligently for my husband and loved ones as they'd travel to and from work or school during a snowstorm or worse yet, freezing rain and sleet. I've had my own close calls several times, and discovered the protective power of God and His angels over me as I narrowly escaped serious accidents.

The way our big old interesting house looked after the first snowfall



The thought occurs to me now as I write this (many years later) that the "scarlet" mentioned in this proverb may not be clothing after all. It may be the covering of the Blood of Jesus Christ over my family. As I pray for them daily, I pray that His shed blood will cover their sins and keep them in His divine care eternally. Therefore, I need not be afraid of snow for my family (or any other problem)…they are covered and clothed with the scarlet blood of Jesus Christ…wherever they go, or whatever they do.


*Thank you, Jesus, for reminding me of this to me today. It is a tremendous comfort to my heart as we are currently in the midst of a kind of storm in our lives. I am so thankful to know that my children, even though now grown and on their own, are still covered by Your precious blood, wherever they go, and whatever they do...no matter what. Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Note 1/28/2020: *We were in the midst of a storm when I wrote this...one of our precious sons was battling cancer, and he eventually succumbed to it, but he was covered with the Blood of Christ, and I know where he is today...and I will see him again in heaven one day. Praise God for that hope and promise.

Back to the present:  Since we don't still have the "Random Journal Day" group active anymore, that link above may or may not lead to any other entries. If it does, then enjoy what my friends in that group wrote at that time.  If not, well, then just enjoy this one! Have a blessed day wherever you are and whatever you may be experiencing at this time in your life.



27 comments:

  1. Hi Pamela - Delightful to meet you via Random Journal Entry. Your post here truly blessed me - I needed to hear your conclusion and prayer today as I'm struggling over some decisions my grown daughter is making and want the Lord's peace in all things. Sometimes, it's the trials our grown kids go through that seem harder than when they were little - as I see you are holding fast to the Lord for your son, too.

    May you know His peace and healing in your situation. Hope you stop by for a visit - I'll be back . . .
    Joy!
    Kathy

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    1. Kathryn, How well I know what you are going through. Yes, even though our children may leave our home, they never leave our hearts. So thankful that we have a Heavenly Father Who sees and knows and cares even MORE than we ever could! That is my great comfort on those "stormy" nights when I can't find rest for my anxious heart. I just have to remember that my child(ren) are covered with that scarlet blanket of peace and love from our Lord. What more do they need? I'll look forward to getting better acquainted with you Kathryn. Thank you for stopping by today. I will be praying for your daughter as well.

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  2. OK, first off I love snow! But oh, it is challenging that not all can handle driving in it well. Especially when it is not something one gets lots of experience in regularly...and then there is so much that can go wrong! But praying , the always returning to that. It does keep us. Oh, thank you, Pamela! Hugs. Love the house and pictures.

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    1. Thank you, Dawn! Thankfully, we live in Florida now, where our biggest road challenge is standing water after a Tropical Storm/hurricane like we just had....that and people with road rage, or deer crossing the road at inopportune times. But again, so thankful that no matter where we are, if we know Jesus, we are covered by His blood...and that is the best security blanket I know.
      Thank you for stopping by. I loved that old house too...and the happy memories of our children's happy days there.

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  3. Like Dawn, I also love the snow. But where I live, not everyone is experienced with it--so treachery is the name of the game with even the lightest sprinkling. But your point of the shed blood being the 'winter coat' we wear out in the cold is so sweet to me this day, when I've been living in worry about my son--out in the world, needing that crimson coat. How continuously we need to surrender our children, and how difficult it is to do so!

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    1. Dear Jeskmom...Yes, we moms do a lot of that kind of worrying for our so-called "adult" children. Oftentimes they have forgotten to put on their "crimson coat" of God's love and protection, but we, as their parents, can pray that scarlet covering over them, trusting God to honor what their childish lips and hearts may have confessed in a time of innocense and faith. Remember Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." God knows where our children are at all times...they are NEVER out of His sight or heart...or hand! Praise God!

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  4. I enjoyed this excerpt and I also like your thought about the scarlet being Jesus' blood. So true that if we are covered in Him, that we don't have to worry about our lives ending, because we will go with Him. We have that security.

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    1. Amen and Praise God!! Yes, that scarlet covering is definitely our "security blanket" for eternity! Thank you Jesus! Thank you for visiting with us today, Kristina. I look forward to getting better acquainted with you soon! Blessings to you today.
      Pam

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  5. Hello Dakota, and welcome to my open window! Thank you for visiting. I am looking forward to getting better acquainted with you at your "Deerstand"! Your blog looks so peaceful and lovely. May your day be blessed as well!
    In Christ,
    Pam

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  6. Oh yes, I agree... scarlet, for the blood of Jesus. I used to pray that way all the time, then not so much. But I have started again recently. The other day I wrote in my prayer journal what felt like the Lord's words to me... "You wear my blood covering like the scarlet ribbon of Rahab. You walk in me and My protection." Your post reminds me of that word!

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    1. If it were not for the scarlet thread of redemption...from Adam and Eve in the Garden...woven all the way through God's Word to the Cross of Christ where He shed His blood for all mankind...we would have NO hope of forgiveness or eternity in heaven. I am happy that His scarlet blood covers us and binds us together in Him. Hallelujah, What a Savior!!

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  7. "Thank you, Jesus, for reminding me of this to me today. It is a tremendous comfort to my heart as we are currently in the midst of a kind of storm in our lives. I am so thankful to know that my children, even though now grown and on their own, are still covered by Your precious blood, wherever they go, and whatever they do...no matter what. Amen"

    Amen.

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    1. Isn't that a wonderful thing to know? We were in the midst of a storm when I wrote this...one of our precious sons was battling cancer, and he eventually succumbed to it, but he was covered with the Blood of Christ, and I know where he is today...and I will see him again in heaven one day. Praise God for that hope and promise.

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  8. Pamela, you always make me stop and think...and sometimes cry and laugh. Thank you friend for your lovely posts. Have a beautiful day, smiles.

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    1. Thank you, Linda. Life is like that, isn't it? It makes us cry and laugh. No two days are the same and we must always be prepared for whatever comes our way in life.

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  9. Beautiful post Pamela, you always bless me.

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    1. Thank you, Mary...and that feeling is totally likewise. You are such a blessing in so many ways. Thank you!

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  10. Yes, Moses was told to use scarlet wool as a symbol of the coming covering of the blood of Christ.
    Lovely post and fit with the theme from another point of view. Thanks for joining in. I appreciate it.

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    1. You are welcome, Annie...even though I didn't go by the rules of engagement for the post, it stirred up these memories for me and I had to go search for it so I could share it with you all today. So glad that we have this story from all the way back to Moses to apply to our lives today. That's what is so wonderful about God. His stories are real and living every day, not just something from "history", but a very present help in time of need!!

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  11. Your "big old interesting house" intrigues me. I love old houses -- my sister lives in one built in the 1840s!!!

    Loved the story of your first snowfall in Ohio. You described it so very well. I related to everything you said. It's fun, beautiful and awful and ugly, all of that, depending if one is looking out a window from the house or a car and how recent the snow fell. (nobody likes yellow or black snow).

    The connection between "clothed in scarlet" and being covered by the blood of Jesus for salvation is excellent. I hope I will always remember it that way whenever I come across Proverbs 31. (you're such a good theologian!!)

    May you continue to feel the Lord's comfort in any and all storms that come with life here on earth. In our current culture, I think most of us are in the midst of some kind of a storm just about all the time!!

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    1. Thank you, Barbara. I loved this big old house. We were only there for about a year, but it was filled with fun and surprises every day. You can read more about our adventures by following the link that I had in the beginning of this post about the "Alarms, siren, etc..." I may repost more of those since many of my newer friends have not read them before. This was going to be a part of the book that I wanted to write someday, but decided this blog is my book so might as well tell all! LOL. Thank you for your thoughts and insights here today as well.

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  12. I enjoyed looking at the pictures Pam. LOVE the big old interesting house! Enjoyed your story so much. Memories...oh the memories you must have. I wish we Floridians had a tad of snow....but just a tad. LOL! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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    1. Thank you Cindy. We did love living in that big old interesting house. We were only there about a year while hubby was in seminary, but every day was a new adventure. I may repost some of those stories in the near future since most of you newer friends haven't read them all yet. Yes, a "tad of snow" would be fun for a day or two!!

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  13. Indeed, winter with heavy snows can be both a blessing and a curse, Pamela. I loved seeing your little boys enjoying themselves in the wonder of that first snow fall. There's nothing like it!
    And it is so reassuring to know that we are washed in the blood of the Lamb, and He will protect and guide us through every blizzard.
    Blessings!

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    1. Thank you, Martha. Yes, you are correct about the "heavy snows can be both a blessing and a curse". I am thankful,that for our family, it never became a "curse", but was always a thing of wonder...except when I had to go out to work and drive in it. Then I'd "wonder" why I was doing that when I could be in Florida! So here I am! Yes, we are so blessed to have the Precious Blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, to take away all our sins as well as cover us with His divine protection. What amazing grace!

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  14. That was a great way to participate, Pam. I had a hard time with the questions since we live in this beautiful and warm (well, chilly right now) state! I enjoyed the look-back and am going to see if the link works for me! xoxox

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    1. Thank you Terri! Yes, even though we have been having some chilly days and nights here in Florida, we know how blessed we are to not have to deal with the issues that snow and ice can bring. Thank you for joining in and also for checking out the previous posts connected to this. I don't think the Random Journal link goes very far anymore as several of the participants have changed their blogs or have dropped out altogether from blogging as best as I can figure. But it was fun while it lasted.

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Thank you for visiting here today. I would love for you to sign my guestbook and let me know you stopped by. I always enjoy reading your comments and words of encouragement! May you be blessed as you go on your way. Please come back and visit again soon.