In the Beginning God Created…Snowflakes

Snow is falling steadily. The ground is covered and wet snow is clinging to every branch and twig in the forest. Evergreen branches are drooping under the weight. It is night. The house is black and the yard light is on, illuminating the falling snow beautifully against the darkened forest. Bethany and I sip hot chocolate and share a donut. It is my feeble attempt to steer my wife’s thoughts away from longing for hot, muggy summer.

With snow in the forecast, we began the evening by making donuts with the boys—a winter tradition we have that helps us deal with cabin fever. The boys enjoy helping to roll out the dough, cutting, glazing and eating them.

The boys can barely eat breakfast the next morning, in their hurry to sled in the fresh snow. Red noses, cold fingers, numb toes, and dripping boots become routine. And so it goes. Some people enjoy snow, while others long for warm weather, bare feet, and flu season past.

Of the snowflake photographs I have seen, they all have fabulous detail. We are told that all snowflakes are unique; no two are alike. While no man has ever looked at all of them to confirm this idea, our God is great. Nothing is impossible with Him. If He wants them to all be different, fine. After all, He is the only one that can enjoy all of them. When it snows, God doesn’t just see snow hanging from evergreens, on holly trees, or around rivers and lakes; the places we think snow is beautiful. God sees every snowflake design in perfect detail. He isn’t limited to our understanding either. He sees every flake in all its beauty, all the way around, from outside in, from inside out. He sees it from the time it is formed until it becomes water droplets again. I can’t help but think about our theme verse, “Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” No wonder the Lord said to Job, “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?”

As beautiful as snow is, God’s greatest pleasure is cleansing repentant man, whiter than snow. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”

While most snowflakes appear as little crystals, a rare kind can develop in very cold temperatures. The “stud snowflake” has two hexagonal plates attached by a hexagonal column.

Wilson A. Bentley was the first person to photograph a single snowflake. He did this in 1885 by adapting a microscope to a camera bellows. During his lifetime he photographed more than 5000, not finding any two alike.

Flakey Facts:

• 130 inches of snow fell during the month of February 1969 in Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire.
• The record, 1-month accumulation was recorded in Tamarack, California in January 1911, when 390 inches fell. This same year, a record was set in Tamarack of 454 inches of snow on the ground at one time.
• Rainier Paradise Ranger Station in Washington State recorded 1027 inches of snow in the 1-year period of July 1, 1970, to June 30, 1971.
• In 1921, 76 inches fell during a 24-hour period, in Silver Lake, Colorado.
• They are calling for more snow tonight. Please pass the donuts.

“Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11