Come Summer, Come Winter

Like cups of cold, spring water on a scorching, thirsty day and like embers of hot, fireplace coals on a freezing, lonely night, so is the feel of God’s grace upon my soul. A cool breeze rising in the heat of summer, a warm fire crackling in the freeze of winter, when I have needed such blessings, God’s grace has brought them to me.

In these days when my climbs among the mountain pines have become strolls among the valley willows, I can gaze back over the miles and see that every human need does have its divine counterpart in grace.

In my youthful exuberance, wisdom sometimes came my way, most often in the slow and patient words of old pilgrims who walked a mile or two with me. Now in my aging contemplation, strength sometimes comes my way, usually when a young adventurer passes by and I snatch an ember from his passion and his dreams. I suppose it is God’s way. For the cold there is the warm; for the hot there is the cool; for the young there is the old; and for the old there is the new.

I can still feel the cold, wet towel upon my fevered brow, held there by a prayerful mother’s hand, a touch of grace dressed in simple gingham. Together we made it through the night, a little boy who knew not the danger, a young mother who knew too well the danger, and a God who trusted in His grace being lovingly administered through human touch.

I can still feel the steaming hot chocolate upon my lips, as my mother tried to rub away the bone-chilling cold acquired by my playing too long in the Canadian snow. Ah, but it was so much fun - building snowmen, throwing snowballs, climbing snowdrifts. Yet, little boys, as sturdy and resilient as they are, they can stay out too long in the wintry wind. Yet this is why mothers are taught by some divine instruction on how to remove the crust of melted snow, unbundle one by one the layers of woolen clothes, rub away the frost, and soothe away the cold with the heavenly warmth of hot chocolate made in love.

For every cold there is a warmth, for every hot there is a cool, for every human need there is a divine counterpart in grace.