If you were to Google the word “snow” (especially today) you would find our city in the drop down toolbar.

CNN, CBS, NBC, The Weather Channel – they’re all currently here reporting.

The New York Times, Huffington Post, Newsweek and Times are all writing about us.

And the National Guard arrived last night.

Snow in Erie, Pa

The snow began falling around 11 am on Saturday, December 23 with just enough powder to have fun in!

Snowman building, sled-riding, snow fort constructing, snow shoeing, and snow ball throwing – so many fun things to do in the snow!

 

But then the storm hit, which  has dumped about 60.5 inches of snow on our area from about 7 p.m. Christmas Eve, when it began, to about 8 p.m. on Tuesday.  About 63 inches has fallen since Saturday, the weather service said — with no plans to stop accumulating for the next seven days!

Tom Niziol, a winter weather expert at The Weather Channel, said the tally could approach 70 inches by Wednesday night before the storm tapers off. The snow is part of what he called a “lake-effect snowstorm.” Such storms occur when very cold air comes over the relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes, he said. Heat and moisture then rise into the cold air to produce snow; the direction of the wind determines where the snow falls.

In this case, he said, the narrow snow band parked itself over Erie, Pa. — about 100 miles northeast of Cleveland.

“It’s like sticking one end of a giant fire hose into Lake Erie and pointing the other end at Erie, Pa. — and leaving it there for 30 hours,” Mr. Niziol said.

With our proximity to the Great Lakes we are use to the snow here in Erie, Pa.

But not since 1956 have we experienced something the likes of this!

This has been the highest two-day snowfall total in the entire state of Pennsylvania blanketing us in more than five feet of snow (with more on the way,) and we are shattering snowfall records left & right.

Poor Frosty is up to his nose in snow!

When you live in the snow-belt region you expect these sudden storms; however, it doesn’t mean you ever become accustomed to the havoc they can create – especially surrounding a holiday.  And I am certain there have been many Christmas travelers & visitors who have been disappointed they had to adjust their plans.  The Erie International Airport, Greyhound, and Amtrak have all been affected. The local mall and movie theatre have also been closed.  And I’ve not seen our mail-carrier in several days.  We are in a State of Emergency.  But calling to mind an article I read by Callie Martinez, I love the idea of the snow becoming a symbol and reminder of God’s character and power.

Yes, we can use scripture to help us embrace the snow!

God is incredibly creative!

There are things about God that people cannot see — His eternal power and all the things that make Him God. But since the beginning of the world those things have been easy to understand. They are made clear by what God has made. — Romans 1:20a

Did you know that in a snowstorm that produces about 5 inches of snow over 2000 square miles will contain 5 quintillion snowflakes? Even though there is some question about whether there are really no two snowflakes alike, there are too many possible snowflake formations to count. God’s creativity can be seen throughout creation, but when you think of the incredible detail and diversity of snowflakes, you realize just how limitless His creative power really is! And if He cares enough to create so many different varieties of something so tiny and temporary as a snowflake, how much more must He care about His children.

Jesus makes us white as snow!

Your sins are red like deep red cloth. But they can be as white as snow. — Isaiah 1:18

In the early winter, after the colors of Autumn have faded and before the snowy season hits, things are rather ugly, to put it bluntly. Everything is varying shades of brown, the grass is dead, and nothing looks appealing. Then it snows, and suddenly the dead landscape turns into something clean and beautiful.

Snowy days are reminders that this is what God does to our hearts when we believe in Jesus.

What was dead and ugly, full of sin, is now washed clean and bright through the blood of Jesus. He doesn’t just cover over the sin and ugliness, but goes a step further and removes our sins, transforming us into something completely new. What the snow does for the outdoors is a reflection of God’s transforming power, not just for landscapes, but for our hearts and lives when we put our trust in Him.

Snow always accomplishes God’s purpose, just like His Word!

Rain and snow fall from the sky. They don’t return without watering the ground… The words I say do the same thing. They will not return to me empty. They make the things happen that I want to happen. They succeed in doing what I send them to do. — Isaiah 55:10a-11

We tend to have long winters in Erie, and there is always a shift in how people view snow after Winter has begun. Some tire from the snow more quickly than others!!

(Giggles.)

What was exciting, fresh, and festive is suddenly dreary and cold, and people start wishing for the thaw. But even when we wish the snow would go away, without those spring snows that seem to never end, we wouldn’t have our beautiful green summers. The purpose of snow is to water the ground so that our warmer months can come with new growth and blooms. The Bible specifically compares rain (and snow) to God’s Word. Just like the moisture isn’t for nothing, God’s Word always accomplishes God’s purposes and helps us to grow.

 

So for now I shall blanket myself in His word, basking in the warmth it will bring me as I watch the snow continue to beautifully fall outside – knowing that Spring lies just around the corner of another year getting ready to begin.

 

hugs n’ blessings to you, as you are reminded of God’s character and power in your own life this winter season!