Happy Winter Solstice!

Happy winter solstice! I have really come to love this day a little more each year. I know it plays a role in some pagan traditions, but the solstice is an actual natural, physical event, created by God. Nothing pagan about it, unless you choose to make it that way, like everything else. The word "solstice" refers to the sun standing still, because for the few days surrounding the solstice, it appears that the sun is not moving in one direction or another each day. What I appreciate is the fact that even though the coldest days of winter are yet to come (unless you consider last year - last year, the coldest days of the season were before the solstice - weird!), the amount of total daylight begins increasing after today. And once light begins increasing, spring is on its way! Spring is my absolute favorite time of year. I love spring! That is why I love the solstice.

Can you imagine if you didn't know that spring would eventually come, and you got to today, the shortest day of the year? You might think that the sun would keep going in the direction it is going and eventually darkness and absolute cold would settle on the earth. When the sun started moving back north again - all of a sudden you would have hope. This is the kind of thing we should all remember in our "darkest hour" (I just shifted into preaching mode, in case you didn't notice). One of my favorite songs says "The darkest hour is just before the dawn".

I love the winter solstice. It rekindles my hope for spring on the earth, and it helps me to remember the hope that is in my heart. Even during dark times.

What Can Separate You?
by Babbie Mason and Donna Douglas

His love reached from the heavens
To the far ends of the earth.
To give you life forever,
He left no stone unturned.
And before the birth of time,
Jesus had you on his mind.
So you never need to question his concern.

So what can separate you from
the precious love of God?
Who could ever come against
His strong and perfect love?
So when you're in the valley
And your nights are cold and lonely,
The darkest hour is just before the dawn.
Remember nothing can separate you from
God's love.

He numbers each and every star
And calls them all by name.
He counts them one by one
And sees that they are still in place.
If he cares for every star
Then he sees right where you are.
You can trust you'll never fall from his embrace.

So what can separate you from
the precious love of God?
Who could ever come against
His strong and perfect love?
So when you're in the valley
And your nights are cold and lonely,
The darkest hour is just before the dawn.
Remember nothing can separate you,
neither pain nor sorrow,
not today and not tomorrow,
nothing past or nothing present,
nothing future,
nothing ever!

Remember, nothing can separate you from
the precious love of God!
Remember nothing could ever come against
His strong and perfect love!
So when you're in the valley,
And your nights are cold and lonely,
The darkest hour is just before the dawn!
Remember nothing, absolutely nothing,
Oh remember nothing, can separate you from
God's love.