Ice along the side of a river creates an intricate design that makes us wonder at the beauty made by the Creator. It seems a tame reflection of what the winter temperatures can do.
and then there is ice whose barrage fills nimble branches with excessive weight…and rips heavy limbs clean off their core.
Last week we were hit with an ice storm here in Ontario (parts of Michigan were hit, as well as Quebec and New Brunswick). Much of the weight of the storm culminated in freezing rain that fell at such an exponential rate that it devastated a fair amount of the city of Toronto, downing trees all over the city and taking out a tremendous amount of the power network for the city. It has been over a week, and there are still many without power.
As I drove with my family down to St Catherine’s yesterday, it because a bit more of a reality for me as I witnessed many of the trees along the highway snapped into pieces as result of the weight of the ice. It was sad to see so much new growth damaged by this storm. And at the same time, my eye was mesmerized by the glistening of the ice on the branches that still remained and those who now lay dormant on the snow covering.
Sometimes I find myself struggling between beauty and destruction..and trying to make sense of each of them. I have seen pictures from the ice storm that have leaves and berries encased in ice, and its a beautiful sight, something that would be hard to recreate with human hands. And then in the next shot I see trees fallen on cars, electric lines laying in sagging heaps and know that for so many this power won’t be restored for awhile, and hopefully insurance will help with the car.
It seems that life is made up of moments of beauty and destruction. Moments where my eyes are filled with glory, where I sit mesmerized at what I am privileged to take in…but moments later my heart and mind are overwhelmed by devestation seen, read about, heard about..and I struggle to make sense of this dichotomy. I know its the push and pull of sin and grace, destruction and renewal, old life and new life…but sometimes it seems to overwhelm me and i’m not sure where to find a middle ground, and what if there is no middle ground. Perhaps what I’m searching for is truth, something to cling too..and maybe that isn’t a middle ground, perhaps I might have to swing one way or another in my thoughts.
I am thankful for moments of awe and wonder in the midst of destruction and decay….so thankful that God still plants hope, even as our earth is slowly fading away.