Last week, we had a wonderful surprise: a beautiful snowfall. The snow started in the late morning and continued through most of the afternoon. It may not look like much to those of you who have experienced winter in the North, but for Nashville, Tennessee, it is considered to be quite a bit.
This early in the season, any amount of snow is very rare. In fact, this snow came at the very end of November, and most weather prediction websites say that it simply does not snow in November in Nashville. Average snowfall in December is an inch or less.
These past few weeks have been difficult, following my miscarriage, so the snowfall was a beautiful reminder of God’s goodness and His sovereignty over creation. Have you had snow in your area yet this year?
Anonymous
I fail to see how snow is from God’s goodness. It causes a lot of accidents, pain, and misery. It’s an interaction of cold air and moisture, nothing spiritual.
Ellie
I think it’s just a different way of seeing things. Our world is full of pain and heartache, but seeing the positive makes life so much better. Snow helps the soil stay moist during winter, so there is a practical benefit. It’s also beautiful, and it brings a ton of joy to kids when they play in it.
Anonymous
What do kids plan in the snow, how to build a snowman?
Ellie
When I was a kid, we spent hours playing outside whenever it snowed. All the other kids in our neighborhood did, too. Didn’t matter how much snow there was. We made up all kinds of games. Those were some of my best childhood memories. 🙂 Sadly, kids today spend a lot of time using their electronics.
Anonymous
Woosh. Right over her head.
Regina Shea
Kids here (and grownups!) love playing in the snow too. Planning where go sledding or tubing with family and friends is so much fun. I don’t think that will happen this year. And it’s true kids are spending way too much time on their screens.
Candi
Agree with you Ellie. We’re of the “old school” I guess with all this screen time. One thing my children got a kick out of this time of snow was bundling up after dark and walking with lanterns in the snow down a quarter mile trail to a Indian cave we have on our property to light a fire and candles inside and have a little cozy time in there before they got too cold and come running back. 😊 Good memories for them!
Ellie
That sounds so wonderful, Candi. And very cool that you have a cave on your property.
Candi
I meant to say the trail is through the woods and over a small creek and has many curves and logs to hop and just a neat trail in general to bob lanterns through in the dark. There is a spooky area in there reminding me of the berenstain bear books if you could imagine that with lanterns in the snow! I think some children like that kinda stuff, like its kind of a bookish setting and they’re living it out. I don’t think this mom is that brave anymore Lol.
Anonymous
Don’t dis screen time on electronics. It’s the kids who spent “too much time” on them who brought you the ability to have a blog and use your phone and the internet. They got paid very well to do it too.
Miley
I spend most of my time outside in the winter time after it snow with neighbor kids playing games sledding. Made snowmen, We even use food coloring and water and put Merry Christmas in the snow in are front yard.
Regina Shea
I too like to not focus on the negative. This has been a very tough year as you know. I know for both my physical, mental and spiritual health I’m gonna focus on God’s goodness even if it’s in the form of snow. Thank you Ellie for your snow post. I can’t wait to play in the snow.
Anonymous
I love the snow and my kids enjoy playing in it. I think all of the different weather that comes with the different seasons is spiritual for the simple reason that it reveals the personality of God. He said we will know Him by the things He created and so when we see in this case the beautiful snow falling from the sky we know that God made this for us and He even says in Psalms 147 that He sends the show like wool to earth. He made each season for us and each one unique and beautiful for us to enjoy.
Eileen
We had a dusting of snow last night. It had me singing This Is My Fathers World. Just felt uplifting to see the magic a soft snow fall brings. Everything looks pretty. We had had snow before this, but it had all melted away. Looking forward to a white Christmas.
Sallie
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
12 “For you shall go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the Lord,
an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Isaiah 55: 10-13
I pray God gives you peace. You must surely be hurting. God loves you and He is waiting patiently for you! Lots of love!!!
Ellie
Thank you for that wonderful reminder, Sallie!
Anonymous
It very rarely snows in southwest GA, but I was born in NC, and Moma used to make the best snow cream.
J
I live in southern Ohio and got 1-2″ from the same storm that brought snow to you all.
Anonymous
No snow in NJ yet! I hope we get some for Christmas.
Tifany
Although I am not a huge fan of winter, I do love the beauty of fresh snow. I’m in CT, we just had some snow last weekend…it was mostly rain but the snow we got was very pretty.
I’m so sorry to hear of your miscarriage, I hope you’re doing ok. I lost a baby at 16 weeks years before I had my two kids…my kids are now 17 and 18 and I still wonder what that child would have been like. Those losses stay with you.
Ellie
Thank you for your kind words, Tifany!
Diana
I’m in CT, too, Tifany. 🙂
I love the look of freshly fallen snow. Such beauty has to be admired. It is also so much fun to be outside when my kids are playing in the snow, although I do not enjoy the cold.
Anonymous
Here in Hagerstown, MD., we are still waiting for our first snow. I love to sat by the window and watch it snow.🌨❄
Verna Coleman
No we here in Central Illinois have not had snow yet this fall/ winter. Since my husband and I moved back to town from living on a campground for over 8 years we haven’t had a lot of snow here. When we lived out 20 miles from Decatur we were always getting snowed in.
Zania
Lovely picture. 🙂 I’m in South East England and in my county (Sussex), we don’t get to get much snow, so it makes a change when we do. None yet though, we tend to get it more around January. It rarely snows at Christmas!
I’m sorry for your loss. Thinking of you and your family. 🙂
Ellie
Thank you, Zania. I appreciate your condolences. 🙂
Regina Shea
We had a little bit of snow here in AZ back in November. We get most of our snow in January. There is a chance we may get snow this week though. I hope so because I love the snow.❄🌨
Marilyn
Your snowfall is the best kind of snow. It is enough to be pretty to look at. When you receive too much snow,it can be hazardous and tiring to have to do a lot of shoveling. Hope you are feeling better. God Bless.
Joan,Marion and Marilyn
Candi
Yes Ellie it snowed around 4 inches here! Was truly lovely!
We’re 2 hours east of you on
the Cumberland Plataeu so it’s always colder here than Nashville. We had some family out and we made a big bowl of snow cream. It was so good. Just like homemade ice cream but ya didn’t need to run it through a maker since it was cold already 🙂 I’ve been thinking of you lots lately and hoping your days are getting a little brighter. Hope you can find something special in the Christmas season through it all…hugs to you.
Dani
We got snow on December 1st here in southern Germany. I enjoyed it even through I had to push my baby’s stroller through the unpaved paths that morning to her doctor’s appointment. Considering everything going on in the world it was nice to have a little Christmas feeling.
Stacey Badger
Living in southern Maine, we had about 5 inches of snow last weekend. We already had a little bit of snow already before this storm. It’s quite beautiful after it snows it seems to be calming especially living in the woods.
Marilyn
We have had snow falls this winter & then most has melted which is unusual for where I live but a big snow fall is expected for tonight.
Marilyn
We never got the snow; just rain. Also very unusual.
Rachel
We live in Northeast Ohio and we got 26 inches last week! It was quite the storm and we did lose a few trees. But my kids were SO excited about the sledding and snowman building.
Anonymous
Snow is wonderful, but it must be moved! All that lovely just piles up, in the northern home and travelway areas. The cost and effort of clearing it is a lot. But can’t not do that, or stuck. Sooooo…. Kind of feel some trepidation at the anticipation of upcoming snow falls!
Bev
Ellie, I lost my mother recently. I know that she is in Heaven, but I miss her so much. If you feel really sad I would encourage you to look for a grief share group. It’s called grief share and it is a wonderful Christ based grief group. Led by Nancy and Dave Guthrie. I would really encourage you to look into the program, You can also zoom a group as well.Grieving is so hard, and God knows this and there are many verses that will encourage you that you will learn about in grief share.It’s about a 14 week program. God bless you and I will pray for you.
Ellie
Thank you for that idea, Bev. And thank you for praying. I am so sorry for your loss! I’ll pray for you, too. Are you doing okay?
Marni
We tend to get snow very early here in the prairies of Canada. It can be october or at least November for sure. It does make all the browns and drab areas look so much prettier. Not fun to drive in and once we have a decent amount it stays for many months here till we are so tired of it. I love the whiteness for Christmas though. I had to think of how the bible verse calls the cleansing of a sinful heart ( be they scarlet) to leave a heart as white as snow. Seeing fresh snow that is untouched or blemished is a beautiful sight.
Iris
Beautiful pictures! I hope they give you comfort, because it must be so hard dealing with this loss.
I hope this sorrow doesn’t take away from the joy of Christmas season.
Ellie
Thank you, Iris! I wouldn’t say it has taken away from the joy of Christmas, but I’m definitely not feeling up for a big celebration.
Gabrielle
I love gentle snowfalls there’re so pretty 🙂