February in Pittsburgh – Part 2: A Landscape Without Foliage

Wednesday is my study day. I am pretty jealous about protecting it. Somehow I just do not think it would fly at Sunday worship to say, “It has been a tough week and I am sorry but I have no message. So let’s just sing 6-8 more songs.” I know. I know. There is more to worship than a talking head or singing, but you know what I am talking about. If not, it is okay to simply hit the “next blog” button.

In any event, today as I was driving to my designated study location (Read: Panera or Starbucks here!) I was once again looking at the landscape where I live. If you have never been in Pittsburgh, there is a reason why it is called the “North Hills.” In the summer it is very easy to miss that. The leaves on the trees obstruct the view. I am not complaining, I love the summer, it is just a comment. In the winter you see things you do not see in the summer. This is especially true when we have had one of the soft wet snows that stick to the branches of trees such as we had last night and into today. You can see every hill and valley as you drive. The snow on a landscape without foliage, sort of expands your vision and clears the view.

Life is like that sometimes. The winter can have a harshness about it, even the winter moments of life. But just as the winter landscape helps you see things that you do not see in the summer, so the winter landscape events in life clear vision. How often do we hit the valley moments in life only to be reminded of what is vitally important to us as we begin our ascent out.

As I continue talking about the valley of depression this month at Fountain Park, we should likewise allow those events to clear our vision. Let the “lack of foliage experience” in your life do as the winter landscape did to me. Let it clear your vision and allow you to see highs and lows in a way you have not seen before.