By Joseph J. Mazzella

It was groundhog day and the furry rodent had just predicted six more weeks of winter. A winter storm had hit overnight too. I tried to open my backdoor only to find six inches of wet, heavy snow piled up against it.

I knew I had quite a job of shoveling out ahead of me, so I reached over to grab my snow shovel. It looked a lot more ready to work than I did. I sighed and pulled and pulled on my boots, gloves, and heavy coat.

The wind chill was below zero and cut into my face as I slowly shoveled off my deck. After that I started my way over to my daughter’s house shoveling the path as I walked. It took awhile to get her driveway clear and I knew I still had a lot to do. Next came the paths down the hill my own cars covered in snow. I had grabbed the broom to sweep them off as well. I winced when the breeze blew the swept snow back into my face. Then I started to shovel out my driveways. My back was aching as I worked. I wished I could be building a snowman instead of shoveling. Winter sure had seemed a lot more fun when I was a boy.

When I was done I examined my work. It didn’t look half bad. I smiled and looked at the woods covered in white. They were such a special sight. I leaned on my shovel and took it all in. then I thanked god for the beauty of the day and started up the hill with the snow shovel in one hand and the broom in the other. Suddenly, an urge came over me and I dropped them both. I spread my arms, fell back into the blanket of white and happily moved my arms and legs to make an angel in the snow.

As you go through the seasons of this life take joy in your work. Take joy in your play. Take joy in your life. Remember that the course of your days rest in your own hands. And always know in your heart that God loves you through the snowstorms as well as in the sunshine.