He came last night.  Jack Frost.  The frozen ground  glistened in the early morning sunshine like a field of crystals.  The once lush and green grass was now hard and tinted blue. Little specks of ice adorned the grass blades and crunched beneath my feet. Winter is upon us.  I observe my surrounding on the journey to breakfast.  The sky is vast, clear, and silent.  Sleepy stars fade away with the moon while heavenly rays of sunlight pour over the frozen horizon.  I see the lake. The waters move slowly enjoying their bit of freedom before they too solidify. The forest is bare and empty.  It's branches are as naked as a newborn.  Nothing but simple shadows fill their dark pathways.  Where are the leaves, those once healthy and green, those once crisp and orange.  Nothing remains.  Winter is upon us.  Smoke billows from the top of the Dinning Commons.  Or is it steam? My own breath is visible.  I breath heavily and watch it disappear in front of me.  All is still, all is calm.  The wind does not howl; the trees do not move. But here's a word of encouragement.  Take it as a challenge while we embrace this cold weather.  Our Creator exhibits his power to us in a chilling way giving us frost and snow and visible breath.  And what do we do in return.  Complain about how cold it is? Bundle Up! And take note that there is beauty in winter.

It's ok to cry

It's ok to cry.  Hardship and sorrow surround us as frightening waves knock against a sailboat. For students it's often homework or deadlines. For Dad's it's work and bills. For Mom's it's worrying about their children.  Professor's worry about grading papers and Music Instructors, their upcoming concert.  Deadlines spring out of your syllabus or calendar ever reminding you that time is ticking. Tears tend to come when time slows down.  When you actually have a moment to think about things or talk about them,they billow over your eyes like Niagara Falls.  I admit crying is painful and embarrassing.  But it's ok to cry.

Tears come from loneliness, fear, joy, and pain.  Some people go for days without crying and others cry everyday. But the beautiful thing about tears, is that God catches everyone.  He puts them in a bottle, the scriptures say, and keeps them in a safe place. Psalm 56:8 "You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book."  God knows each one of our sorrows and the hidden reason behind all of our tears. A thought never crosses his mind of why we are sad. Though he knows our pain, we must tell him.  Prayer is for our own benefit. But God's role is not simply to catch our tears.  Our tears are the result of him working in our lives.  So, cry and pray.  Let the tears fall like a cool autumn rain.  And remember that you are not alone.