What a perfect November day! A few flakes on the wind, leaden sky, dark most of the day. I don't know what it is about this weather, but when it arrives I always treasure it. Memories of gathering in my grandmother's kitchen where the wood stove drove away the chill, and the cornbread came out of the oven pipping hot and fresh. And stepping out onto the back porch to cool off after a few minutes, because the stove made it like a sauna. Memories of walking through the woods to gather in running pine and running cedar and holly to decorate for the holidays. The warm glow of the lights inside the house a beacon against the early dark of evening and the wind whistling through the cracks and crannies. Or at my other grandparent's with the oil stoves burning a bright fire in Aunt Fanny's sitting room as she sat at the table writing Christmas cards. Or later when the lights were out and the light from the stove cast odd shadows against the walls. Maybe its all those together and so many more, but when this weather hits, my mind goes right back to Virginia and both houses.
[Cindi, of course, is depressed and hating this weather and wishing for spring. SADD is sad. It doesn't compute with me, but I do see the deep sadness creep up on her.]
I empathize with your Cindi, Pastor Weedon. This time of year, with its kind of weather, is very hard on me. Ironically, the Time of Christmas is perhaps my favorite portion of the Church Year. I truly love Advent Tide, the Twelve Days of Christmas, and the Epiphany of Our Lord. Yet, these are juxtaposed with the darkness of short days and cold, wet weather. There is a heavy depression that weighs upon my heart, mind and spirit from mid-November until mid-February. There were some years, perhaps a decade ago, when this time of year very nearly brought me to despair in both body and soul. Since then, I have found ways to use the weight and weariness of this time to aid my discipline of repentance and prayer. I find even greater comfort in the Divine Service and in the means of grace than perhaps at any other season of the year. Christ be praised for that.
ReplyDeleteUnlike most people, I get depressed by the long, hot, stifling days of summer. I love the year from October through to about Easter. The fall is so freeing to me, and I also associate it with "warm" memories. I was born in November, so that may have somthing to do with it. This is spectacular. Like Fr. Stuckwisch, the time of Christmas is probably one of my favorite portions of the Church Year (along with Lent and Easter), but unlike him, I enjoy the weather.
ReplyDeleteJohn Donne said that it is always "Autumne" in heaven because everything is in full fruition (perhaps not as chilly as now!).
May those who do not appreciate the weather find their solace in the Divine Service and wonderful celebrations of this time of the Church Year.
It's nice to hear what's wonderful about the growing dark and cold. Those of us more prone to the winter blahs don't always remember.
ReplyDeleteThe cycle of the church year helps so much in this. The drawing down of the end of the church year, the talk of the second coming, Christ the King Sunday, and then: growing light, little by little, all throughout Advent. I love it more each year.
I'm with Cindy. Give me spring and light and life!
ReplyDeleteCount me with Cindi on this one. Ugh. I'm in the midst of a major funk, and it's all the fault of these short, cold days when the sun's at way too low an angle. I think I'm moving to Brazil ...
ReplyDeleteMy dear mid west friends, you definitely should get a full spectrum light box if the darkness is hitting hard. I'm not kidding, it has helped me tremendously (although our California winters are generally not as dark as yours are).
ReplyDeleteEven just a small one at your desk, for a few hours in the early part of the day, if you suffer from SADD.
I got one off of Craigslist for 50 bucks, you can search around for a cheap one....
Weirdo.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Cindi. And thankful that we now have a sunroom. I LIVE out there, especially now.
ReplyDeletePastor Weedon,
ReplyDeleteI like winter more than summer. Today proves it, here in rural Southside Virginia (on the VA/NC border) we have experienced something normally only seen in the far north....We had Lake Effect Snow. I am unsure which of the two lakes it came from, but with the wind from the west, my guess is it came from Kerr Resevoir. Granted it hasn't been much more than a few flakes, but to see the snow flakes fly is really a joy!!!
So, I am with winter as my favorite part of the year!!!
YIC,
Darian L. Hybl
Gee whiz, where I grew up jacket weather wasn't until freezing, coat weather wasn't until subzero, and unless it was measured in feet it wasn't much of a snowfall at all, and nothing closed or was postponed, it's just Winter, no big deal, life goes on. Now, six inches on the way, stay tuned for the latest forecast and closings and cancellations!
ReplyDeleteOTOH, I don't live there now, and each year I find myself saying Dad's old adage, every day is one day closer to Spring, more and more.
So Shane, Scot, Darryl and I are the only weirdos on this one. :)
ReplyDeleteTell you what, Anastasia, my sister (who lives outside Fredericksburg) put one of those sunrooms on her house a year or two ago. I was amazed at how wonderful it is. We were there this summer and it was like sitting outside with airconditioning. :) I kept thinking, though, how wonderful it would be to sitting in it in front of the gas fire place while the snow was falling. Cognitive dissonance: snow all around you and everywhere and total warmth.