Our prompt for Monday's writing was an amazing photograph of snow covered trees, which can be seen here.
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"Mom, can we go back to Illinois?"
"No, Sweetheart, not right now. Why?"
"Because they have Christmas in Illinois."
"They have Christmas here, too, Sweetie."
"How can you have Christmas with no snow?"
The simple questions of a 4 year-old swirled in my heart for some time. The answers were easy enough to explain and she accepted them without further question and didn't ask again this year. But the conversation has stuck with me for over a year.
The truth is, it doesn't feel like Christmas without a proper Winter and the Mississippi Gulf Coast does not experience what I consider a proper Winter {especially considering when I began this post two days ago I still had my AC on}.
Growing up in Colorado I became accustom to the snow. I am a creature of change and was able to depend on the changing of seasons. I don't mind the heat as long as it's followed by the cool breezes of Autumn and the lush changing of the trees. I can easily tolerate the cold and the snow as long as the run-off uncovers the new life growing under the surface of the ice and snow.
Without these changes I feel stagnant, this leads to sadness, which leads to homesickness; where I, again, long for the Colorado and the changes of the seasons.
In our family, we celebrate Christmas as the birthday of our Savior and I understand, snow or no snow, we will celebrate and cherish the One who loves us beyond measure. But I do find it easier to get into the decorating spirit when the evergreens are blanketed in white.
I get you on this. As much as I love warm and sun ... there is just something so beautiful about a fresh coat of white snow, such a glorious reminder that his grace coats us and sticks and covers the blemishes perfectly.
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