Protective Ice Covering

Job 37:10: The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen.

The other day, I saw white clouds scattered across the clear blue sky as if an artist, who couldn’t decide which kind to draw, painted them on. Some of the clouds stretched out in one big piece with long rows folding into themselves like a freshly tilled garden. Other clouds seemed painted with a small quick strokes resulting in little puffs of curls strewn about. The remaining were classic clouds with billows of circles escaping in all directions. What a delight to look up without rain falling into my eyes!

The last week or so has been dry and cold. My lawn has its crunchy white arctic look and the remaining leaves on my plants are sagging under the weight of a crust of ice. The only birds I see are the family of quail on my fence, and the gulls going to and from the Puget Sound a mile away. Everything seems just a bit quiet and restful.

Last week I did some gardening with my hedge trimmer and warmly gloved hands. I hadn’t cut back a few of my herbaceous plants in the fall, so I chose this time to cut them down while they were crisp and easy to cut. I knew their leaves would be black mush once the weather warmed. My silvery white dusty miller plants were also starting to look ragged so I lopped them back as well. I actually filled my large wheelbarrow before I was done. It felt good to be outside working again. I wrapped my beautiful bonsai in burlap, gave it a drink, and set it against the house on chunks of bark near my dryer vent. I hope this will keep it safe. Last year I poured soil all around it and it did beautifully.

As the sun moves around my yard, tiny shimmers of light twinkle all around bouncing off frozen twigs and leaves and I find myself not wanting to make a sound, as if any noise I make will disturb the scene. As these sparkles of ice reflect the sun’s rays, so this new year causes me to look to my heavenly father and quietly reflect back on how I’ve been doing this last year and how I can serve Him more fully. It seems I have some changing to do. I know this because I feel God is showing me, in his loving way, the areas in my heart and mind that need His touch.

A few years back, I watched this silly movie of a controlling mother who tells her adult son that he should eat the ice cream she has in the freezer for his dessert. He complained that the ice cream had ice crystals on the top, and his mother barked back something like, “That is the protective ice covering keeping it fresh!” I like to think that God is my protective ice covering, and if I am going to grow and mature at all I need to keep Him over me so I can be most effective when its time to push out into the world.