The air is warmer today. I can see bits of ground and even grass in various places. I know that spring is coming. The promise is real and helps us make it through February which is still a winter month. It seems that this winter has been very harsh. I was reminded recently that it was bitterly cold the first winter that we spent with you in 2002/2003. People kept telling us that is was an exceptional winter. So we assumed that the next winter would not be exceptional. But it was! Now we just know that winter can be difficult here.

We have learned how to cope with winter. We know how to layer our clothes. We have warm gloves and boots that help us walk when it is icy. We plan our schedule so that we can visit hospitals and nursing homes early, before the darkness settles in and the temperature plummets. Two different Sundays we had trouble getting back home in the snow so we are considering buying a car with all wheel drive. That would help our economy as well.

I will say that I have learned some lessons from the snow.

First, find the right tools to help with a problem. We bought a little electric snow blower for $5 at a yard sale during the summer. It's not big enough to do our driveways, but it has helped immensely with the sidewalk. I think having the right tools can help solve many problems.

Second, have a good attitude. We can moan and groan when the snow starts, or we can admire the beauty of the whiteness as it covers our land. There is something about being out in a gently falling snow that is very lovely.

Third, we can practice our problem solving skills. The last time I was cleaning the snow off our cars, I got a little bit of snow down in my boot. That was not a fun thing. When I finally decided to change my sock, the problem ceased. That experience encouraged me to tackle some problems that seemed small but were bothering me. Even a small intervention can help.

Finally, I have learned to ask for help when I really can't do something. Our young neighbor across the street seemed very willing to help with his big snowblower when we needed to clear the snow piled high by the city's snowplow. Sometimes others will willingly help when we let them know what our needs are.

I know that our Creator God planned the world with the various seasons which are so evident here in New England. And I appreciate learning these lessons of winter, but I'll be glad when I can see if the bulbs we planted last fall are going to bloom.