Friday, January 5, 2007

Gray, Gray Day


Gray skies are just clouds passing over.
-Duke Ellington
I can't recall a day that's been this gray. Even this tree on the way to Freeman House seemed beautifully dreary. If the new grass - which the weather has cruelly tricked into thinking it's spring - weren't green, I daresay we'd mistakenly miss the ground and step on the sky. What a gray, gray day.

If you ask me, I think people need more comforting in January than any other time. The holidays are over. A new year brings both expectations and let-downs. We can feel burdened, somehow - burdened by bills and certain people and obligations. Burdened by the pressure others put on us and the pressure we apply to ourselves. Besides, everything externally feels so cold and raw in January. What a gray, gray time.

Or maybe it's just me. If so, I guess I feel complicated and ridiculous right now. If not, welcome to my gray day! Why not revel in it with me? Let's lose ourselves in flannel sheets and dreamy music and warm cookies from the oven. And let's pull out fluffy pillows and hot tea and letters from friends and the movie Sense and Sensibility.

Sure, it's a dreary, gray, gray day. But it's wonderful in its own right, isn't it? After all, would we appreciate the brilliant sunny days as much if God didn't occasionally show His gray? Would we feel as justified in making stew and being home-bound if these days didn't exist? I wouldn't.

So perhaps I should thank God, even for this gray, gray day. Comfort can be found - even on a January day like this. After all, the only difference between this gray, gray day and a brighter one is just the clouds passing over....

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
-I Thessalonians 5:18

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love your writing and look forward to every post. You seem like such a neat person. I want to come to Freeman House!

Father's Grace Ministries said...

I really enjoyed this.I found your blog through vintage pleasures & thought I'd pop over for a look.
God Bless
Claire(from Australia)