Hello, God. It's me, Mara.

You know, Lord, awaking to snow sometimes reminds us of thinking back, a long time ago, when we were kids and lived on the farm. When we woke, we'd peek out the window and when we saw a fluffy white blanket covering our farm, it was like an unbroken expanse of snow - so beautiful, untouched, pure and white.

As we got ready for the day to do our chores, birds flocked to the feeders, gathered beneath to look for dropped morsels, kitty cats wandered around, adding their tracks. Soon, we saw deer tracks and then we saw daddy plowing the way to the barn.

As we peeked out that window, that February day, the white scroll was unmarked as far as an eye could see. In this early morning light, a moment, a thought: the cares of yesterday had left no tracks, neither had today's to-do list ... soon enough, things would change, but both the snow and the day before us, were a gift from God!

We kids each had a choice, with Divine assistance, we surely could leave a trail of love, kindness, gentleness and the like, as we kids would rush through this day. Thinking about neighbors a few miles away, we could hope they might follow, or look at our "tracks," and they'd see the goodness of God. But most of all, we could take a moment, on this pure white day, and see the working of Father God, in and through us.

Lord, nudge us to walk daily with You and learn ways to manifest the fruits of the Spirit, as we remember Galatians 5:22-23: "... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control. Against such things there is no law." Amen, dear Father, and thank You for a lovely morning with lovely pure white snow.

Love, Mara