Hello God, it's me, Mara

You know, Lord, William A. Quayle wrote in “God’s Calendar” that February is all wintery breathed. Quoting him: “February is the month of expiation; the month of the thaw; the month of dreaming of Spring — and other things! God dreams dreams. Anybody could know that about God; for has He not made flowers, childhood, clouds, the spider’s web, the dewy morn, the rainbow-arch glow as the gems, the mountains crag, the undulant valley, the swift wind and the glow of love!

“February is Winter losing heart and sitting down for a breathing spell. … February is Winter relenting. After the perfect jubilation of harshness in January, February grows tenderhearted. The sleet melts; snow turns to slush; creeks are swollen and noisy; snow fields become tattered like an ill-kept child; black ground shows in patches; cattle huddle around and near the friendly haystack and chew cud in a mild way as to say, ‘We knew your weather would moderate.’ Cattle are your genuine philosophers. They never fuss. They take what comes. They hump up when snow falls and the wind is piercing; they use no bad words and sleep out in the snow without cover uncomplaining as a solider trained to hard campaigns.

“People might learn from critters if they’d only take them as schoolmaster; chew their cud more and their grievances less. February thaw says, ‘Winter is getting ready to quit.’ Not right away, for Winter is dignified, and dignity, as is well known, is a trifle stiff in the joints and not given to eagerness of motion. But water runs and jumps in stream beds which have been sealed for months; their sound is in the air. The country boy gives a whoop…and thinks how before very long, fellow’s fingers won’t get so cold foddering the horses and watering the stock. February is Winter’s promissory note to quit … .”

Lord, Your word says, Genesis 8:22 — “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

Love, Mara