Dear Cold,
I hate you.
There, I said it.
I hate how you attack my cheeks and my forehead and my lips, and how you make my feet feel like they have no feelings, and how my hands itch painfully when you finally leave me alone. I hate how I have to bundle up every time I go to face you, and how you travel all the way to the inside of me. I hate that I hate and dread you. I hate that I have to continually brace myself for my encounters with you.
But that is only half the truth and you know it as well as I do–I saw you smile while I was writing this last paragraph.
Because as much as I dislike you, I love the beauty that you bring: uncharted snow, iced over trees that make the landscape magical, icicles that seem to be telling a story, sitting by the fireplace with hot cocoa in the evening, the feel of wool against my skin, the luxurious sensation of my furry winter boots, the duvet on my bed, and the glistening blanket that you paint on the lake…
And lentil soup, and warm cobblers, and cuddling in bed, and everything pumpkin and cute leg warmers…
And the good that you do to the earth while it sleeps under your powerful grip…
And the fortitude to not complaint, and the joy of coming in after a frigid walk, and the thrill that comes when the day isn’t quite as cold as expected…
Dear Cold, as much as I hate you, I know that I need you.
Thank you for all that you are to me.
Barbara
Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp
#466 A long walk with my husband
#469 A great sweaty workout with a friend
#468 My favorite song coming on my Shuffle Ipod
#467 Wonderful heat from the fireplace
Sometimes, I link up with any or all of these wonderful writers: Hearts 4 Home, SDG, Hearts Reflected, WLW, EOA, Things I can’t say, Growing Home, Play Dates with God, Monday Musings, Hear it on Sunday, Inspire Me Monday, Tell me a Story, The Better Mom, a Mama’s Story, Into the Word, In and Around Mondays,OYHT, Gratituesday, Titus2Tuesdays, Extraordinay, Lessons from Ivy, Denise in Bloom, Sweet Blessings, Faith Filled Friday, Finding Joy
I like your letter to the cold…it helps me tolerate it just a wee bit better now. (Just found you from the FTSF link-up)
Amen! Hating and loving and praising with you!
Hi, Barbara! Thank you for linking up with #FTSF. When you come back next week, please use the sentence prompt for the post you link up. Thanks!
~dawn
You had me at, “Dear Cold, I hate you.” ! As one who struggles to find the upside of winter, I really appreciate that you went on to capture some of the ‘sweet’ moments, beauty and benefits.
Blessings to you on this beautiful, frigid day that the Lord has made!
So glad I am not alone on my quest~!
Winter has been one of my favorite seasons. I live in the country because I love how it covers everything in the newness of snow and crisp cleanness of it all. It reminds me that everything has a season and we all need a season of rest just like nature. How even if we are muddy and dirty and beaten and tired the blood of Jesus gives us the same beautiful white covering when we come to him with it all.
Love how you see winter, especially the newness of snow; never really thought about that because I am so involved with how cold it is. It truly is a matter of perspective, isn’t it?
this is just how i am with the cold.
in *constant* need of a reminder of its saving graces. and there are many. really. just as you have so masterfully said.
Awww, I loved the last line “Thank you for all that you are to me.” Great way to show the balance of your love/hate with the cold.
What a beautiful way of putting it! This pretty much sums up my feelings about the cold, too.
Thank you for sharing and for joining this week’s Harvest of Friends Weekend Blog Hop. Glad to have you link up!
Yes, I like the scenery sometimes, and yes, I enjoy some of the ways we can dress this time of year… much of what you said. BUT I’m SSSOOOO cold this year … for some reason my body is not adjusting very well … and for the first time I now am understanding why some people shift north or south during the year.for cool or warm adjustments. I can’t, so need to somehow adjust . Who, ME??? ADJUST?? Not so good…
you sound just like me
There can be so much of God’s beauty on a cold winter day.
Yes, indeed!
You took the words right out of my thoughts on winter.
Btw, I’m hopping by from Inspire Me Monday and hope you’ll join my Snowflake Blog Hop, too.
In the last two weeks it has finally gotten cold in TN. And while we have only been dealing with it for a few weeks, I’m over it already. Ready for the sunshine at least. Everything is better with a little sunshine.
This is so true! I have a total love-hate relationship with cold weather.. but seeing as I live in L.A. I’m a lucky little gal! I do love the fact that I get to wear sweaters, drink hot chocolate & sit by fires!
Found you via last week’s Aloha Friday linkup!
xoxo,
Nikki at http://www.bedazzlesafterdark.com
Oh, please enjoy the sun and heat for me!
I love the frozen leaves! And I wish I had a fire place, I miss them so bad from back home!!
Love this post and so glad to have found your blog! Living in Vermont I have similar feelings about the cold! Having a woodstove makes it all tolerable!
Wood stoves are wonderful!!!
Found you through the Snowflake Blog Hop. Love this letter!! It reminds me of my high school creative writing class!! In addition to the blog I have here, I am also at
http://www.evamdesigns.com and http://www.wordsthattelltales.wordpress.com (my creative fiction blog)!
Pingback: Mexico and Heaven | My Life As An Adventure
Pingback: Not As It Seems | My Life As An Adventure