Snow! My special gift from God!

Anyone who truly knows me knows that snow is VERY special to me.  Why, you might ask?  Well, let me start from the beginning.  I grew up in Kentucky.  Every year at some point during the winter, we had a few days of significant snow.  I have the best memories of those times.  First of all, this usually meant school was out which was always wonderful!  Ha  Then of course, my brothers and I would play for hours until we would get so cold we couldn't stand it.  We would come inside and stand over the furnace vent from the wood burning stove that was in the basement until we felt nice and toasty again.  Then came the moment we all were waiting for......Snow Cream!  If you have not had that experience, well, let's just say, you really should at some point in your life! Also, our lake would freeze over deep enough every winter upon which we could ice skate.  I still have scars on my knees where my brothers would dare me to race and of course I would go all in and then usually misstep and my toe stick would grab the ice and send me flying!  There were never tears though, only lots of laughter!  Then came the evenings when my brothers and I would curl up on the floor with blankets and pillows and listen to Mom and Dad take turns reading from a good ole Louis L'amour or Zane Grey novel.  Yes, westerns were always a theme!  Hehe  So essentially, snow meant a very special time of bonding and closeness for our family.  It was priceless.

Every year as I got older, I prayed for snow.  Our church family started to blame every significant snow fall on me and I took the blame with a huge smile and much joy!  Often I would hear the comment, "Well, I'm praying against it!"  I would laugh and say teasingly, "Ok!  Let's just see who God is listening to more!"  Haha  More often than not, my prayers were answered! The year I was a sophomore in college, it snowed 27 inches and stayed below zero for several days.  Now, I do LOVE the snow but those temperatures were too cold to really enjoy it.

Our first year of marriage sent me to the heart of east Texas where it NEVER snows!  I was thrilled to be a newly wed but disappointed about the fact that snow didn't exist in that world.  As is normal for most couples, our first year was filled with struggles, not necessarily between us but figuring out how to be responsible adults and find our way in life.  I really battled loneliness.  Never having been that far from family created a gulf in my heart that hurt quite often.  Other situations in our life began to wear on me and I will never forget one evening when I lay across my bed, with tears streaming down, crying out to God and asking the question so many have before, "DO YOU REMEMBER ME?" and "DO YOU KNOW WHERE I AM?"  Stacey tried to comfort me but my heart hurt in a way that only God could fix.  The next morning it was time to wake up and plaster a smile on and go to the church school as usual where both Stacey and I worked.  Everyone there, of course, knew of my love for snow and that I was praying for it.  MANY laughed at me in private, I'm certain!  Around noon, I was puzzled to hear yelling down the hall and my name being called.  Several rushed into my classroom and said, "You have to go outside now!"  I, in utter bewilderment, ran out the door and stopped dead in my tracks.  HUGE flakes were coming down.  Within 30 minutes, there was enough snow for the entire school to go outside and have a huge snowball fight.  In the midst of the joviality, I received a summons to the office to answer a phone call.  A dear teacher, who had stayed home due to sickness, was on the other line.  She said, "Melody, I was looking out my window watching the snow fall, when God spoke to me and said to go call you and tell you THIS was for YOU!"  Tears again streamed down my face but this time it was because of joy!

The next year, we were evangelizing and in December ended up in McAllen, TX.  Again, a place where it does not snow.  I was feeling oh so lonely because the holiday's were approaching and we were so far from family!  This time I don't even remember really praying but God knew my heart and the place where I was in my spirit.  One Sunday afternoon, as I was trying to take a nap I heard yelling out in the street.  My husband came running in and said, "You are never gonna believe this!  It is snowing!"  We were practically in Mexico and it was snowing.  People had lived their whole lives there and had never seen snow!!!  Tears flowed once again as I knew God spoke to me and let me know all would be fine.  He KNEW where I was and had it all under control. 

Over the years in my low times or times I just wanted to feel HIS love in "our" special way, it has snowed.  While living in Nashville, we struggled in so many different ways and every year there was that special snow that brought me such joy and happiness!  Many grumbled but I always rejoiced!

Just last year, I had a scare with a health issue.  My stomach was in knots because I was facing more tests and the future was uncertain.  Fear had a grip on my heart.  As we were driving to Atlanta in APRIL to pick up my parents from the airport, we were rounding the corner on an off ramp when all of a sudden HUGE flakes began to fall on our car.  At first I was wide-eyed in amazement.  Purely shocked at seeing snow.  I turned to look at Stacey and he had tears streaming down.  Then it dawned on me!  God KNEW!!!!  This was a sign for me that all was going to be fine.  Tears flooded my eyes and streamed down my face!  Oh, what joy and peace there is when you KNOW that He KNOWS!

Over that past couple of months as I have walked outside in the evenings with the dogs, I have looked up in the sky and my old heartbeat of snow began to rumble.  I really have not prayed for snow sincerely since we have lived in Georgia.  I have felt such serenity here I haven't pursued that prayer with fervency.  But something within me was stirring.  So quietly, I began to pray, "Lord, I would really like some snow this year!"  Just last week, after hearing that it snowed in Alexandria, LA where Stacey and I would have been at a conference and couldn't attend due to his broken leg, I went outside and had a little talk with Jesus.  I simply said, "Jesus, I want to see this property covered in a blanket of snow! I just need to see that this year!"  That was it simple and straight forward.  Sunday, I was told there was a possibility that snow was coming this week.  Well, as I sit here typing this blog, snow is steadily falling in the background.  I already have my blanket!!!! As I was driving earlier and snow began to fall, tears did as well.  I know He KNOWS!  It is well with my soul!