In the Deep Freeze!

Well, it finally came this year. The deep freeze, that is. Up until a week or so ago, here in the Midwest, we were thinking we might dodge the artic bullet this season. Oh, it’s been a bit wintry, but December was a breeze. Never even started up the snowblower all month, and Christmas was green. Ok, brown.

That’s all changed. Relative to some parts of the country, we don’t have much snow at all—a mere 8 inches or so of settled, icy snow covers the ground. But the blast from the north has struck and stuck! It was -13° when I got up the other morning at 5:30. As I write, it’s all of 7°. The warmest day this week, Wednesday, should hit 15°…and it’s downhill from there. Next Sunday’s high is supposed to be 4° with a low of -16°.

Makes me want to go find a blanket somewhere and wrap up!

No Surprise

Funny how we get a period of cold like this every year, but when the current installment arrives, we act like it’s worse than ever. Maybe even a bit surprised as if taken off guard. Not sure why that is, since we live in the upper Midwest and not south Florida. Perhaps it has to do with our propensity to block out bad memories….

If I have the gear to keep me warm for an outdoor adventure in even sub-zero temps, I’m OK with that. It also helps if I’m not in hurry to get somewhere, limiting my “adventure” to a scrambled clearing of the drive and sidewalks. Under those conditions, the snow and cold are a distracting nuisance, an obstacle to be overcome so I can get on with the important stuff of the day.

But if I can dress for the cold and head outside for a leisurely trek, I find it quite refreshing. Just doesn’t happen often enough! I recall one occasion heading to a nearby trail along the Rock River. Had recently snowed, temps hovered in the 5-10° range, and no one else was around. The air was still and crisp. Sky, a bright blue. Snow glistened in the sunlight. The deciduous trees, bare except for a layer of snow on the branches, stood in stark contrast to their surroundings. And there’s just something about evergreens with their branches sagging under the weight of a fresh snowfall, isn’t there?

Matthiessen State Park

Eleven years ago, with temps in the teens, Chris and I ventured to Matthiessen State Park—the “little sister” to Starved Rock State Park, a bit more than an hour away. It was our first winter visit to the park, so we didn’t realize that the conditions were perfect for some stunning scenery. Previous weeks saw plenty of rain, snow, above-freezing temperatures, then an extended cold period with several inches of snow.

The streams were full, but mostly ice-covered. After hiking a trail along the canyon ridge, we ventured down the icy steps and followed the path leading to the upper dells waterfall. Remarkable!

We then followed the ice-covered stream until reaching the point where you must ascend out of the canyon before continuing the path toward the lower dells. Again, down the icy steps. From that point, it’s about a quarter mile to the lower dells waterfall.

Breaking over the canyon walls in the mid-afternoon, the sun creates a brilliant contrast of bright light and shadows. Along the path, the ice-covered stream occasionally cuts through the ice, providing a soothing accompaniment to the sound of snow crunching beneath the feet. On this particular day—a weekday—we are almost alone; nature’s subtle soundtrack is a welcome companion.

Rounding a bend in the canyon, the waterfall comes into view, though still 150 yards ahead. At first glance, it seems no water is falling, but we can hear it. In fact, the surface of the falls is frozen; its face seems to be a giant icicle. Getting closer though, we see the water splashing behind the frozen surface and streaming down the sides, creating an ever-growing ice bed.

It was a bit tricky, but we found a way slowly to climb up the side of the falls and make our way behind the wall of ice. Mesmerizing! I had never personally seen anything like it before…or since.  

We’ve been back to the park in the winter several times, most recently just a few weeks ago. That trip was a bit interesting. The steps were so icy, we sat and held on to the rails all the way down into the canyon! Also disappointing. The falls had no ice formation and just a trickle of water. Anyway, that first experience was outstanding, though never repeated.

Here’s the thing. The same location, same hike on the same trails, would be fairly bland if temps had been in the 40s for a few weeks. Brown, muddy, a bit ugly. The deep freeze made for an exciting, exhilarating, refreshing, rejuvenating outing! So, if properly outfitted and with the right perspective on it all, I need to be thankful for the deep freeze.

But let’s step back a bit from the personal, up-close experience of the cold and snow and ice—whether we’re enjoying it on a winter outing, or griping about it as we shovel the latest couple of inches.

Job

Remember the story of Job in the Old Testament?

The poor guy lost nearly everything, including his children, under the relentless assault of Satan, whom God had granted the power to plague the hapless soul. In the course of his response to the harsh adversities, Job got to the point where he was wanting—almost demanding!—an audience with God to find out what was going on…why he should have to suffer so…why God was allowing such horrible things to happen to him…and so on.

Much to his surprise, God granted him his request! But before Job had an opportunity to grill God, God grilled Job, asking him a series of questions that essentially put Job in his place. The divine interview begins with the Lord asking,

Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.

– Job 38:2–3 (ESV)

Can you imagine the knot in his stomach and the lump in his throat???

In the middle of this series of questions (that Job left unanswered, by the way), the Lord probed,

From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the frost of heaven? The waters become hard like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

– Job 38:29–30 (ESV)

The question is rhetorical. Job knows the answer, though he leaves it unstated. And the answer has nothing to do with some sort of scientific explanation about how temperatures change due to the relative distance from the sun, which then causes a change in the state of water from liquid to solid. Blah, blah, blah. All helpful information on one level. But Job—and we—need to go deeper.

God.

The ice came forth from the womb of God.

God has given birth to the frost of heaven.

God turns water into stone.

God freezes the face of the deep.

In His sovereign control even of the weather currents, God sends the deep freeze.

We can grumble and grouse about it. Guilty as charged, I confess—even as recently as last weekend.

Or we can find all the ways God uses the deep freeze for our good and for His glory. I’m thinking the latter is a better way to cope with the cold, hard as it may be.