Prayers for the Seasons - Winter

Part 2 of the series.

Preface for Winter

We give you thanks, O Lord, for times and seasons
and now for wintry nights
when stars shine coldly bright
and dust is turned to diamond underfoot.

For wintry days
when trees are stronger than the icy death
and hold in blackened limbs
the promise of the resurrection.

For opposites be praised: for heat and cold,
for stillness and the snow
that sculptures every house and tree, and falls
like some great absolution
to heal the wounded earth.

We give you thanks for Him
whose birth we celebrate in winter
so all may know, may wildly know,
that love is stronger than the coldest flesh
and mercy blankets all the land
more surely than the snow.

We give you thanks for him
who makes more than children joyful
and does not cheat our laughter in the end.

Joyous Lord,
beyond imagining but not beyond desire,
we give you glory and our song of praise...

I like the line about the trees holding within themselves the promise of the resurrection. :) What powerful imagery - blackened limbs stronger than icy death; as I move toward winter in my own life.. something to remember.

And yet.. not just yet. Yesterday night I'm at Caribou, reading a textbook from TS501, the place full of 20-somethings with laptops and backpacks studying this or that, and as I get my refill-to-go, the talk at the counter among young customers and staff turns to the groundbreaking "free" (w/ optional donation) online album download from Radiohead.

They wondered out loud what the name of the album was.. I filled them in. They asked what I paid.. I told them. Approving nods. :) Said I hoped it was better than OK Computer, and that Radiodread, the reggae tribute version to it, was actually an improvement over the original. With mouths (complete with lip rings) hanging open, they stood speechless and watched the old guy walk out..

And 6 tracks into it this morning, so far it is better. A lot better. :) Guess it's not quite wintertime for me yet. ;)

They did get 2" in Bemidji yesterday (!) but that's Bemidji for you. As for me, I won't have to really face what winter has in store for me for oh.. about another 3 weeks or so. :( And in the meantime, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to finish listening to Radiohead's latest.