Snow 2

We got a lovely covering of snow last night. I love snow. I love winter. It's possibly my favorite time of year. (Although, I must admit it's a tough call for which season I like best because all four really do offer something special.) For some reason the snow got me to wondering.

It seems to me we allow past definitions, phrases from the past, to remain as they are and we fear trying to change what they mean. It struck me earlier this year as we were planning our wedding that "Amazing Grace" wasn't going to work because it is too closely connected to funerals. Now the way I work is that I then want to use it all the more in our wedding so then the song can begin to be associated with happier occasions. I think it's a hymn of celebration, that we've made it to a good place. Needless to say a wedding is really no place to be fighting battles and attempting to change culture (for the most part, I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule), and we won't be singing it at the wedding.

Yet, this is the sort of thing I got to thinking about with the snow. We have the phrase, "Washed as white as snow." I've heard it suggested before that such a phrase is really actually racist. We so naturally associate white with good and black with bad. If you want to disagree try watching a cowboy movie or two and you'll see what I mean. Why can't we say, "Washed as red as a fire engine" or "green as grass"? I know, I know, it sounds silly. However, is that because we're so used to the original expression? If we were to start using other colors would it then be acceptable again to use "white as snow?" Is it even worth the effort?

I don't know. What I do know is I'm glad it snowed today. I'm a little sad I couldn't get the tires pumped up on the snowblower so I had to shovel the driveway instead. If that's as bad as my day gets, then I suspect it's going to be a good day.

Prepare the Way

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,' " John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ~Mark 1:1-4

Prepare the Way

Do remember your first date? Do you remember how you primped and preened to look absolutely perfect for that night? I love how girls work to get every hair and every piece of clothing perfectly in place and matching just so, while boys have a way of working it so everything is perfectly out of place. Either way we make sure everything is just so for that big night and then we wait with eager anticipation.

Prepare the Way

Holidays like Christmas are often not only about the presents, but they are about having guests over. If you grew up like I did that meant getting ready. There was food to be prepared, exquisite food. There were rooms to be cleaned. There were mountains of laundry to be leveled. We needed to prepare for the coming of our guests. I realize now that it was not all so much about making us look good as the family hosts, but it was about honoring those guests that were coming with the best we had to offer.

Prepare the Way of the Lord

We find ourselves in the season of Advent, a time to prepare for the coming of the Christ child, a time to prepare for Christ’s return here on earth. So we prepare our homes. We prepare ourselves. John the Baptist came to prepare the way of the Lord and to call us to do the same. How? We clean our personal houses through repentance and forgiveness. When we confess our sins and repent, we are forgiven.

"Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! ~Matthew 7:7-11

Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight!