When Blossoms Flower'd 'Mid the Snows

With this walk, I tried a different approach to prayer.  Rather than repeating a blessing, or praying for guidance and illumination, I decided to focus on Scripture.  I decided to use Psalms as the background for the walk.  This seemed to be a very rich experience, so I will continue with it.  I put a series of musical settings of Psalms on my iPod and let the music play while I walked.

Though the day was foggy, it was warm and beautiful.  The streets were wet and snow was melting everywhere.  I moved to Mason City with an expectation that the Winter would be cold and windy, but here it is February, and neither the plants nor the animals have had sufficient cold to fully fall asleep. Seeing these bushes, I was reminded of the Christmas song which says "When blossoms flowered 'mid the snows:"

The route I chose today started in a neighborhood of humble homes: one story ranch style houses with small yards, and ended up taking me past some spectacular homes on Spring Lake.  

In a neighborhood of well-heeled yards, I really loved seeing the clothesline and shovels beside this house.  I find it reassuring to know that even well-heeled people have chores to do.

I really enjoyed the contrast between the hot, Southwestern turquoise of this house and the grey, Iowa day

Note St. Francis in the Snow

As I walked and listened to Psalms extolling the wonder of this world in which we live and the mystery of God's care for it, I enjoyed noticing the natural and the human-made beauties around me.  I am often struck by the absolute audacity of human ingenuity: roads, mail carriers, architecture, clotheslines and all.  Then again, I listen to bird song or see the way a mist can transform trees, and I am struck by the elegant mastery of that which no human hands have made.

I hope you are enjoying this mild and beautiful February.  I hope you have some time just to get out and enjoy this beautiful playground we have been given.  Mason City has so many subtle beauties to it.  I feel truly blessed to have been asked to come here.

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