I went running this morning, so thankful to be outside in the crisp air. Again I noticed the beauty of naked branches, stark brown against a crayon blue sky. In their dormancy, something startled me. I could see things I couldn’t normally see now that those trees shed their greenery.

What did I see? Bird nests. What a surprising reminder of life, of birds taking discarded twigs like the second of the Three Little Pigs trinity, and weaving them into home. When all of life’s finery is stripped away, home is still there. As it should be.

What did I see? Sky. More of it. When God strips us away in winter moments, we have the privilege of seeing more sky, more perspective, more sunshine.

What did I see? The path ahead of me. And that was a perfect metaphor. His word is a light to that path, and all I really need to do is take one step. Then another.

I love the beauty of God putting to bed the world, tucking us all in for the winter, stripping us of extraneous foliage so we can marvel in simplicity. I feel the ache of resurrection already, but I’m happy to be here, jogging the paths by my home, seeing the sky, praising God with each step.