“Keep watch for a sign of hope, like shoots in the soil. There are better things ahead.”
— Lisa Rumpel 


As snowflakes fell on the morning of my birthday, I was reminded of the story around my birth that my parents had shared with me.

On that late November day, when they were ready to take me home from Grace Hospital, there was a snowstorm. As they drove through a blizzard to be welcomed home by my two brothers and grandma, they prayed. And my Dad affectionately nicknamed me “Snowflake.”

Winters are known for coldness, darkness, stark landscapes, bare trees, frost and snow. We go through seasons as men and women, like the passing year. With or without a mental illness, we face change. But even in the winter season of life, we are beautiful. Beauty comes from within, a quiet strength that shines through our hearts. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Ps 139:14).

I have noticed seasons of beauty in the nature at Queen Elizabeth Park. The park is a short walk from my home and the office where I work. On occasion I wander over there on lunch break or visit on weekends. In the warmer weather, I enjoy picnicking under the trees or playing ukulele on a blanket with my friend. Cherry blossom season is very popular, as well as the tulips and the summer roses. But there is an austere beauty found in winter too. Varied hues of green, red, orange, and brown array the earth like hot chocolate spices, warming the eyes. Little unnoticeable buds push through the soil. And buds hang from trees in anticipation for spring. The dormant trees stand inactive, but they survive the bitter cold. Birds that haven’t migrated sing in the chill. Squawking ducks swim slowly in the pond.

I have to be patient with myself and others during the season of blues. When sadness comes, it takes effort to look for the good. It can feel lonely and cold. I remind myself that on those overwhelming days, there can be a clear view of a sky thick with stars. There is always a little glimmer of hope and beauty in humanity.

God created us unique, even more spectacular than each delicate and unrepeatable snowflake.

“Beauty will save the world,” says Dostoevsky, and I have to agree. How beautiful it is that our God came as an infant to save us. The song of angels brought a message of hope to the shepherds. They were the first adorers of the child Jesus.

We too can visit the Lord and reverently adore him in the tabernacle. He is there hidden from our eyes, a beauty divine. The gift of love that Jesus is strengthens me in every season.

So in the difficult, sad, and worrisome times, be patient. Look for the stars, shining in the midnight blue. Keep watch for a sign of hope, like shoots in the soil. There are better things ahead. The miracle of life unfolds moment by moment. I sure don’t want to miss it!

God can melt the grief, sorrow, and illness that grip us and replace them with hope, love, and joy. When we thank him for our life, we invite him to pour his love into our hearts. The beautiful Lord will console us. He silently endures depression with us. He only has to say the word and we will be healed.