“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11

 I’ve always loved snow. It’s true—I have complained about it on days when I have to drive to work in it or stay at work because of it, but despite it all, I still love it! Why? Because it speaks to me in its own quiet way. Whispering of God’s blessings in my life. Peacefully lulling me into a place of beautiful memories.

Though snow is cold, when that first flake falls, I actually feel warm inside. It brings back fond childhood memories of snuggling in my pjs, enjoying hot chocolate with mini marshmallows, and sledding with my sisters. Snow belly laughed with us as we flew down the hill in our plastic saucers, and later, when we built a lopsided snowman.

As a young adult, the first snowfall meant I could go skiing with my husband. There’s no sound as invigorating as skis shushing through snow. And even after the skis were off, I could still hear the sounds of snow as we lit a fire in the wood stove and sat and watched all of the birds in our backyard—their colors a stark contrast to the white that blanked the ground.

As a middle aged mom, snow was the sound of zippers and snaps as I bundled up my toddlers in their snowsuits before they excitedly waddled outside to build a snowman. And after the mittens came off and rosy cheeks were warmed and kissed, it was time to cuddle with them for treasured family time.

Now that I’ve been empty nesting for nearly two years, the snow still silently speaks to my heart. Every new snowflake that falls from the sky rekindles all of those memories. Snow tells of the intricacy and details of my life that God cares about. No two snowflakes are the same, as no two people are the same. Yet each snowflake that falls joins the others to make our world lovelier—especially in the “winter times” of our lives.

Be careful out there, and remember, listen to the sound of snow. It may just have a message for you, too.