Genesis 8:20-22 New King James Version
God’s Covenant with Creation
20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination[a] of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
22 “While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease.”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
https://www.weather.gov/buf/lake1415_stormb.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzard_of_1977
I am a native born Buffalonian and I would not change a thing – I would not, will not, ever dream, desire, I was born in Hawaii or anywhere else warmer.
It was by God’s own design that I was born where I was born, to learn the life lessons I needed to learn that propelled my life to where and when I am now.
Let it snow, Let it snow! Me and My Shovel are always at the Ready
Yes, I still dream of a white Christmas just like the one’s I shoveled through.
No! that is not me in the photograph … but at the tender age of 15, it was this order of magnitude of snow, wind packed snow drifts in below zero temps and wind chills in the neighborhood of -60 degrees or more that I shoveled us out.
No! Snow Throwers were not of much use – getting them started in that level of cold was nearly impossible and one could not wait long outside for a hair dryer to defrost the starter and the engine to try and get the thing started to clear it.
The only option was to grab the snow shovel and quite literally, dig deep into snow banks and snow drifts that were all very much taller than our front door.
Yes! I would not hesitate to do it all over again…should it ever return to be done.
I love the snow!
I love Creator God who brings it around in whatever volume He sees fit to bring.
No! I am not crazy to feel that way…while ugly and heavy to dig out from, it sure did, looking to the trees, have a very unique beauty to it before it was shoveled.
Yes! I absolutely love the snow God brings …
Ways to See the Beauty of God Through those Dreary Winter Snows
When most of us think about Winter, we think of cold, dark, long months. Even though this is true for many places across the globe, what might change if we stop viewing Winter and all the winter snows in such a negative light?
While it is definitely cold and the days are shorter, Winter is still a beautiful season created by God. It can reveal to us God’s beauty of His wonderful uniqueness. It can remind us of God’s faithfulness to His promise as written in Genesis 8:22. God is known for remaining true and faithful to His promises.
This Winter, we need to challenge ourselves to view Winter in a new light.
In light of being reminded every year that God is forever true to His Covenant.
Genesis 8:20-22 Complete Jewish Bible
20 Noach built an altar to Adonai. Then he took from every clean animal and every clean bird, and he offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 Adonai smelled the sweet aroma, and Adonai said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, since the imaginings of a person’s heart are evil from his youth; nor will I ever again destroy all living things, as I have done. 22 So long as the earth exists, sowing time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”
No longer ought we need to hate Winter or see it as a season to rush through.
Even though Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s are over doesn’t mean that Winter doesn’t have more abundant and beautiful blessings to offer us.
As believers, we need to try to see the beauty of God, the beauty of His Creation, beauty of Winter while it is here before replaced with the first blooms of Spring.
Winter shows the beauty of God.
1. Brings Us Back to Him
Without a doubt, Winter brings us back to God.
For someone who struggles with depression, especially in the Winter months, I often find myself coming back to God.
Since times are hard and my depression is not lacking in any sense, I tend to turn to God, express my pain, and rely on Him more often than I do in the other months of the year. Depression too often gets the best of me during the Winter months, yet this is when I thoroughly believe I see God most clearly in snow.
God doesn’t think less of me when I’m struggling with depression in the Winter months nor does He withhold His comfort from me. Instead, in the white of the snow, I experience His comfort, grace, and presence even while I’m struggling.
The same goes for you. God is present with you this Winter, and every Winter.
Whether you are also prone to suffer from depression during the Winter months or not, know that He always reveals Himself, that He is with you.
Allow this truth to bring you back to Him. God can surround you with His love and bring hope back into your heart. Depression doesn’t have to be full of doom and gloom if we turn to God. He can help us to see beauty in the darker months of the year. The twinkling stars, the fresh air, and the first fall of snow are all but the smallest abundance Winter brings to us, which are all because of God.
2. His Uniqueness
The uniqueness of our wonderful God is shown through Winter.
No two snowflakes are ever exactly alike.
God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is Uniquely ONE.
Even if we may be someone who doesn’t particularly like Winter, we can still appreciate God’s unique creativity in this season. Winter are the only months where we have shorter days, longer nights of stars, and snow.
While the latter can be debatable depending on where you live, most people only experience snow during the Winter months. All of these things are unique to Winter and they don’t need to be overlooked.
Maybe we don’t like the cold, but the snow won’t fall unless it is cold enough.
In the same way, maybe we don’t like the short days, but the dazzling stars wouldn’t be out as much if the sun stayed up longer. When we view things from this perspective, we can see that Winter is unique and beautiful all by itself. And ultimately, this is because God created it and everything He created is beautiful.
3. Stepping Away from Our Normal Everyday Routine
Sometimes Winter causes us to change our normal routines.
For reasons, such as snow or below freezing temperatures, some of us have to change what we normally do on a given day.
For example, I really love being outside and taking walks; however, when it is sub-freezing temperatures, it is not safe to go out. On these days, I try to do something else I enjoy, such as reading or doing bible study. If it wasn’t for Winter, I probably would have never re-discovered my love for these things.
In this way, we are shown the beauty of God in the ordinary.
Although it can still be hard to get out of our normal routine, Winter calls us to stop and step away from normalcy. By having to step away from our normalcy, we will be more prone to seeing, seeking God. His love, grace, and beautiful blessings are shown to us in Winter and helps us to see the world in a new light.
Rather than growing frustrated when we are out of our normal routines, we give thanks to God, giver of every perfect gift for the opportunities to do new things.
4. Invaluable Gift of Time to Seek God and Reflect Upon Our Life
As the days get shorter and the nights longer, we are also blessed with the gift of having time to reflect upon life. Since everything tends to move a bit slower after the holiday season and because of severe weather, we have time to sit with our bibles, the Word of God to pray to God thoughts and reflect upon our lives.
Psalm 139:23-24 Complete Jewish Bible
23 Examine me, God, and know my heart;
test me, and know my thoughts.
24 See if there is in me any hurtful way,
and lead me along the eternal way.
Sometimes this can be a great opportunity to be brought before the Lord in prayer and repentance and to bring our sins to Him. Other times, this might mean asking God for His exclusive leadership, guidance, direction on life.
Still, other times, we might find ourselves crying out to God because we don’t know what has gone wrong in our lives.
Regardless of your feelings, bring them to God. Ask Him to help you with your life going forward. He is faithful, and He can be fully trusted with the future (1 Corinthians 1:9; Psalm 33:4). Reflect upon your life this Winter and fully rely on Creator God to help you cover any missing puzzle pieces, loose ends, or regrets.
1. For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
104 Bless Adonai, my soul!
Adonai, my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with glory and majesty,
2 wrapped in light as with a robe.
You spread out the heavens like a curtain,
3 you laid the beams of your palace on the water.
You make the clouds your chariot,
you ride on the wings of the wind.
4 You make winds your messengers,
fiery flames your servants.
5 You fixed the earth on its foundations,
never to be moved.
6 You covered it with the deep like a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At your rebuke they fled;
at the sound of your thunder they rushed away,
8 flowing over hills, pouring into valleys,
down to the place you had fixed for them.
9 You determined a boundary they could not cross;
they were never to cover the earth again.
10 You make springs gush forth in the vadis;
they flow between the hills,
11 supplying water to all the wild animals;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 On their banks the birds of the air build their nests;
among the branches they sing.
13 You water the mountains from your palace;
the earth is satisfied with how you provide —
14 You grow grass for the cattle;
and for people you grow the plants they need
to bring forth bread from the earth,
15 wine that gladdens the human heart,
oil to make faces glow,
and food to sustain their strength.
16 Adonai’s trees are satisfied —
the cedars of the L’vanon, which he has planted.
17 In them sparrows build their nests,
while storks live in the fir trees.
18 For the wild goats there are the high mountains,
while the coneys find refuge in the rocks.
19 You made the moon to mark the seasons,
and the sun knows when to set.
20 You bring darkness, and it is night,
the time when all forest animals prowl.
21 The young lions roar after their prey
and seek their food from God.
22 The sun rises, they slink away
and lie down to rest in their dens;
23 while people go out to their work,
laboring on till evening.
24 What variety there is in your works, Adonai!
How many [of them there are]!
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creations.
25 Look at the sea, so great, so wide!
It teems with countless creatures,
living beings, both large and small.
26 The ships are there, sailing to and fro;
Livyatan, which you formed to play there.
27 All of them look to you
to give them their food when they need it.
28 When you give it to them, they gather it;
when you open your hand, they are well satisfied.
29 If you hide your face, they vanish;
if you hold back their breath, they perish
and return to their dust.
30 If you send out your breath, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
31 May the glory of Adonai last forever!
May Adonai rejoice in his works!
32 When he looks at the earth, it trembles;
when he touches the mountains, they pour out smoke.
33 I will sing to Adonai as long as I live,
sing praise to my God all my life.
34 May my musings be pleasing to him;
I will rejoice in Adonai.
35 May sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more!
Bless Adonai, my soul!
Halleluyah!
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 
My Brown Scapular
Not a commitment for the faint of heart
Ryleigh Myers
Jan 22
READ IN APP
In an anxious state of drugged delirium, as nurses and doctors are cutting my clothes away in the the ER trauma bay, my eyes focus on the closest person and I start semi-coherently repeating: “Don’t take my scapular off. Don’t take my scapular off. I have to keep it on, I need to keep it on. Please don’t take it away.”
At first, they thought I was trying to say something was wrong with my scapula (sans the ‘r’), which was understandable given the circumstances. I had just fallen in the shower after passing out and had been rushed to the ER and given hard drugs to manage the pain I was feeling. Despite the IV of pain meds, I needed to make sure the doctors weren’t going to take off my scapular in case anything happened. It was so important to me that I made the person I spoke to promise me they wouldn’t.
I breath a sigh of relief as she takes my hand and says “Don’t worry. You can keep it on.” I let the drugs lull me back to a blissful unawareness of what was happening. When I woke up several hours later, my parents sitting by my bed, the first thing I check is if my scapular is still hanging around my neck.
The scapular in question. Its about 3 years old and certainly well-worn!
Why was I so insistent? Well, knowing that my hemoglobin had dropped to fatally low levels for the second time, I was close to dying and I needed as much help from the Blessed Mother and Jesus as possible. But what is the scapular? So glad you asked, let me give you an introduction:
The tradition of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel begins non-surprisingly on the actual Mt. Carmel, which rises above Israel’s Mediterranean coastline. It was here that the biblical prophet Elijah prayed for the salvation of Israel and where he received a vision of the much anticipated Virgin, mother of the Messiah, who is mentioned in the prophecies of Isaiah: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Is 7:14) This vision foreshadowed the apparition of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel to St. Simon Stock in the 13th century on that same mountain.
In the 13th century, St. Simon made a pilgrimage to the historical-biblical Mt. Carmel where he joined the Carmelite order. Years later, he was elected a superior-general of the Carmelites amidst persecution and oppression from diocesan clergy and other orders, prompting his deep devotion to Our Lady. During the course of his leadership, he experienced a vision of Mary holding the Child Jesus in one arm and the Brown Scapular in the other, promising salvation to the Carmelites who wore it. She uttered the words:
“Hoc erit tibi et cunctis Carmelitis privilegium, in hoc habitu moriens salvabitur.”
“This shall be the privilege for you and for all the Carmelites, that anyone dying in this habit shall be saved.”¹
The habit the Blessed Virgin Mary mentions in her apparition to St. Simon implied the Brown Scapular that she was holding. The scapular was a “broad band of cloth over the shoulders, falling below the knees toward the feet, front and back as an apron, worn still as part of the religious habit by a number of orders of monks and friars.”² This original scapular was worn signifying the yoke of Christ and obedience to the authority of the Church. Over time, this religious sacramental was adopted by the laity and adapted to wear during daily life in the working world. It is most commonly recognized as a Marian sacramental composed of two small panels of brown cloth, usually wool, joined by strings, and worn over the shoulders but under clothing.
Oftentimes, the joke surrounding the scapular is that it’s just itchy enough under your clothes you can’t ever forget it’s there. It’s a spiritual nudge to remind you of your need for spiritual help. Calling it ‘the world’s tiniest hair shirt’ is no exaggeration. It can be uncomfortable, but I have come to love it because when an itch breaks through, or the brown wooly fabric rides up and needs adjusting, it reminds me (always at a moment when I need reminding) that I am weak and need help via Heaven. I need to be made uncomfortable to be reminded of my shortcomings. This scratchy, abrasive little penance is a very useful spiritual nudge; it awakens me to the hushed graces that linger deep within the recesses of my soul, amidst all the superficial noise of my heart and head.
The scapular is seen as a conventional sign, which means having a meaning assigned to the object beyond itself. For example, a wedding ring is a sign of the couple’s commitment to one another and to God, i.e. more than just a band of metal. In the case of sacramentals, “it is the Church that determines the connection.”³ The scapular also signifies the presence of spiritual graces obtained by the intercessory prayers of the Church. Sacramentals such as scapulars, holy medals, holy water, and even words, can sanctify human life with divine grace through the Incarnation of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
Lately, I have been reflecting on the graces given to us by sacramentals as I have received so many since becoming sick. Bottles of holy water from the Rhoda Wise House and Lourdes, rosaries, blessed saint medals, and many, many holy cards. These sacramentals offer to all the faithful an opportunity to tactically engage in the Divine Life. They offer glimpses into eternity by praying with the communion of saints both physically and spiritually.
Over the years, I have developed the habit of kissing my scapular when I put it on or take it off as a sign of devotion. I also touch my scapular immediately after I make the sign of the cross. Each time that I trace the sign of salvation across my chest, I follow it by touching that small piece of scratchy wool that hangs over my chest constantly. This is to remind me that I am claimed as a daughter of Christ and ward of Mary. That the powers of evil and the destruction of death have no power over me since Christ has already triumphed. My fear and worry can be put aside as I take comfort in the promises afforded me of my faithfulness and loyalty to Jesus Christ and Mother Mary.
In those moments when I was close to death, the scapular provided me a level of spiritual comfort as if I were wrapped in Mary’s mantle itself. Having regularly received the sacraments of Confession and Eucharist before being hospitalized, I took comfort in the promises of Our Lady to St. Simon and knew that if I were to pass, she would advocate on my behalf to Jesus at the particular judgement of my soul.
To be eligible for the promises of the Brown Scapular, an individual must be enrolled in the Brown Scapular confraternity. Enrollment can be done in a simple prayer by any priest in the Roman Catholic Church and members share in the spiritual benefits of the Carmelite order. Included in the spiritual benefits of this sacramental, the Sabbatine Privilege was given to Pope John Paul the XXII after an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Sabbatine Privilege was promulgated in the Bull Sacratissimo Uti Culmine in 1322. She promised:
“I, the Mother of Grace, shall descend on the Saturday after their death and whomsoever I shall find in purgatory I shall free so that I may lead them to the holy mountain of life everlasting.”⁴
To obtain this efficacious promise, one must fulfill three certain conditions:
Wear the Brown Scapular continuously (obviously excluding showering)
Observe the virtue of chastity according to one’s state in life (married/single/religious)
Recite the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin daily or observe the fasts of the Church and abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Saturdays or say five decades of The Holy Rosary or substitute with some other good and charitable work.
Popes and Saints throughout the centuries have affirmed the wondrous spiritual effects of devotion and adherence to the Brown Scapular:
“The Scapular is a practice of piety, which by its very simplicity is suited to everyone.” – Pope Paul VI
“The Carmelite Scapular’s nobility of origin, its extraordinary spread among Christian peoples for many centuries, the spiritualizing effects produced by it and the outstanding miracles worked in virtue of it render the Scapular of Carmel commendable to a wondrous degree.”⁵ – Pope Leo XIII
“Those who say the Rosary daily and wear the Brown Scapular and who do a little more, will go straight to Heaven.” – St. Alphonsus Ligouri
“One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular, Our Lady will save the world.” – St. Dominic
The Carmelite tradition is also rich in the arts, specifically Gregorian chant. Flos Carmeli is one of the sung prayers asking for the intercession of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
Flos Carmeli (Translated)
O beautiful Flower of Carmel, most fruitful vine,
Splendor of Heaven, holy and singular,
who brought forth the Son of God,
still ever remaining a Pure Virgin,
assist me in this necessity.
O Star of the sea, help and protect me!
Show me that Thou art my Mother.
O Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to Thee!
Mother and Beauty of Carmel, Pray for us!
Virgin, Flower of Carmel, Pray for us!
Patroness of all who wear the Scapular, Pray for us!
Hope of all who die wearing the Scapular, Pray for us!
St. Joseph, Friend of the Sacred Heart, Pray for us!
St. Joseph, Chaste Spouse of Mary, Pray for us!
St. Joseph, Our Patron, Pray for us!
O sweet Heart of Mary, Be our salvation!
Amen.
If you have not been enrolled in the Brown Scapular, I highly recommend enrolling yourselves and your family members. There are immense spiritual benefits to partaking in this traditional sacramental. I can personally attest to the strength of faith the promises associated with this devotion provides in life or death moments, and the comfort attached to Our Mother’s loving care.
Not so bad for a scratchy piece of fabric, huh?
Talk to you soon,
Ryleigh
1
“History.” Our Lady of Mount Carmel. http://ourladymountcarmel.com/history/.
2
“Brown Scapular: a Silent Devotion: EWTN.” EWTN Global Catholic Television Network. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/brown-scapular-a-silent-devotion-9157.
3
Ibid.
4
“Home.” Sisters of Carmel: Information about the Brown Scapular. https://www.sistersofcarmel.com/brown-scapular-information.php.
A Shower of Roses
🌹🌹 Love’s blow 🌹🌹 Wednesday, 22nd January 2025
“What has Jesus done, then, to detach our souls from all that is created? Ah, He has struck a big blow… but it is a blow of love.” St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus (Letter nº 94 to Céline, 14th July 1889)
Sometimes we undergo tough moments of suffering in our lives, things which are beyond our comprehension, which break our hearts…
Today, St. Thérèse is inviting you to put your total trust in the love of Jesus… When you see a hard blow, there is a “blow of love” for He loves you passionately… and “everything is for the good of those who love Him”. Let Him carry on teaching you how His Love is always with you, whatever happens to you and it will fill your heart with praise and thanksgiving for everything!
🌹🌹🌹ALL IS GRACE🌹🌹🌹
From the Discalced Carmelite Secular Community of ‘St. Teresa of Jesus’, Plaza de España, Madrid, Spain.
👇 Click below for the community prayer 👇
From the Act of Oblation to Merciful Love
O my God! [..]
In the evening of this life, I shall appear before you with empty hands, for I do not ask you, Lord, to count my works. All our justice is stained in your eyes.
I wish, then, to be clothed in your own Justice and to receive from your Love the eternal possession of Yourself.
I want no other Throne, no other crown but You, my Beloved!
Amen.
LikeLiked by 1 person