Warm Hearts

The cold weather of Winter returned to the mountains of my home recently. Several inches of fresh snow fell again covering the landscape in white. Steam rose from my breath as I walked my dogs outside. A quiet peace filled the woods around me as I smiled and breathed in deep the chill of the air. I didn’t mind that my nose was numb and my fingers felt like ice. I didn’t mind that my feet were cold and my lips were chapped. I didn’t even mind that my middle-aged bones were aching a bit. I didn’t mind any of it, because my heart was warm. My heart was warm with the beauty of the evening sunset over the far mountains. My heart was warm with the delight of watching my dogs jumping joyfully in the snow. My heart was warm with the peace and love of God that I felt within me and all around me while I walked over this sparkling field of white.

I was thinking too that if God can keep our hearts warm in the middle of a cold Winter’s day then God can keep our hearts warm in the middle of a sometimes cold world. Yes, this world is often full of heart freezing hate, bone chilling apathy, and bitterly cold meanness. Sometimes we worry about even going out in it for fear that it will turn our own souls to ice. God’s love, however, is always there waiting to keep us warm and waiting to help us warm the world around us as well.

God loves us so much. He gives us so much peace, love, joy, beauty, and delight to warm our hearts, souls, and minds. He gives us so many opportunities to choose and share this glorious warmth everyday of our lives. He gives us all the chance to be one with Him and to help Him bring this warmth to the world. It is up to us, however. We can wrap ourselves and others in the warm coat of God’s love and joy or we can continue to shiver out in the cold.

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

[ by: Joseph J. Mazzella (joecool@wirefire.com) -- {used with permission} ]