Winters in the Pacific Northwest are a bit different from other places. In some places, winter weather is hardly noticeable from any other time of year. In other areas winters bring lots of snow. In our area, we have dark, gray, and wet days. Lots of them! Often, we go for long stretches without ever really seeing the sun.

The long and dark days can be challenging.

I admire the people who make the best of any situation. I have a friend who has light-up twig trees in her home. They brighten her spaces and her heart. Another friend hangs twinkle-lights inside her windows. They offer a sweet contrast to the darkness outside. I personally love scented soy candles. I light a lot of them during the winter months.

We sometimes forget that all the rain we have brings such beauty to our area. When I have company from other states they always comment about how green and lush our state is. And it is! We do pay our dues though. We endure the darkness and rain all throughout the winter months.

Here’s an idea to brighten up even the darkest days. How about taking a dive into scripture verses on winter, snow, and rain? By adding in some warm snowball cookies and a mug of cocoa, any day will suddenly grow brighter.

Snowball Cookies

Ann Kirsten

Ingredients:

1 cup of butter softened
½ cup of sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups of flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans or mini chocolate chips
½ cup sifted powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer.

Add in the milk and vanilla extract.

Add in the flour and mix until combined (dough will be very thick).

Stir in the nuts or chocolate chips.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the cookie sheets.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Roll the partially cooled cookies in powdered sugar.

While the cookies are baking, grab your bible and highlighter and dive into verses that will help you view the dark days a little differently. Here are some verses to get you started.

Ann Kirsten

“You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; You have made summer and winter.” Psalm 74:17
“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22
“From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds. By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen.” Job 37:9-10
“He gives snow like wool; He scatters frost like ashes.” Psalm 147:16
“She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet (or warmly).” Proverbs 31:21
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater.” Isaiah 55:10
“Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.” John 10:22-23
“Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.” Matthew 24:20
“He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’” Job 37:6
“The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.” Revelation 1:14
“As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.” Ezekiel 34:12
“It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him.” Jeremiah 36:22
“Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there…” Acts 27:12
“He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.” Psalm 147:17-18

Whether you and your kids find scripture verses talking about rain, snow, winter, or darkness, see how many you can find. And, by all means, make these snowball cookies. They are easy and yummy and little hands will have fun rolling the dough into balls.

The winter days are only as dark as we view them.

What are your tricks to brightening a dark day?