day 3 :: shape of things

Our prompt today encouraged us to look at the shape of things and see if what you find reminds you of anything.  It just so happened that was the day we got our Christmas tree.  Normally when we go there has always been snow, but this time we were not anticipating any.  We have had a very mild winter thus far, and it really has only snowed in the northern hills.  This was close to that but not quite.  So we were a little unprepared for the snow we encountered, as it was knee deep. While we were looking for our tree, I noticed the top of some wild grass peeking out of the snow.  There was my picture, a Christmas tree of sorts.  As I was writing this I remembered what I had photographed the first time around.  It was dill left over in my garden from summer, and the dried heads left on it looked like snowflakes. This wasn't an easy prompt. I didn't get pictures from my other co-hort's but don't forget to check out Tracie West and Victoria's interpretation. 

                            The simplicity of winter has a deep moral.

                                           The return of Nature, 

                                            after such a career of 

                                        splendor and prodigality,

                                  to habits so simple and austere, 

                        is not lost either upon the head or the heart. 

                                   It is the philosopher coming back

                                                from the banquet 

                                                          and

                                        the wine to a cup of water 

                                                          and

                                               a crust of bread. 

                                             ~John Burroughs, 

                             

                                                Tanya

I picked these icicles because they reminded me of the beams of star light so often depicted as shining down on the Christ child, and leading the wise men to him. The thing that really struck me was how icicles are constantly trying to reach down to Earth, like how God is always reaching down to humanity. In the case of the icicles it’s simply a matter of gravity. In God’s case however, it is His love for us that keeps Him in a forever pursuit. For those He has reached, He keeps reaching and settling down into our lives, that we may know Him better, realize more each day His love for us. For the rest, He also keeps on reaching; never resting, never diverting His eyes from the goal of lost humanity. So that one day He will reach all of us, and then we too, like the cycle of water itself, will begin to rise back up to him, in praise and wonder and deeply in love.