The snow had been piling up by the sidewalks in town for months. Huge mounds of it as tall as a small child. Topside, it was sooty from the traffic. On the edge, it looked clean where it was starting to melt off. I could not resist sticking my boot in, to see if it was as soft as it looked. Yes, it was light as a feather. The top was crusty, though, and in some parts icy.

Amazing that moisture can surround dust particles in the air, and we have beautiful, intricate snowflakes, and then a picturesque blanketing of snow. As my toe dipped into the snowpile, I thought how like that snowbank I’d been at times.

God creates us in His image, with soft hearts; merciful, loving, generous, kind. How in the world had my heart gotten so hard sometimes? “In the world”, the answer.

There is an answer to ‘hardening of the heart’. If we keep our focus on adverse circumstances in our lives, our hearts are more likely to become hardened. Even crusty sometimes. Like day-old bread. Times like these if we keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, our hearts are more likely to remain more similar to His.

Lord, thank You for Your presence, and I ask Holy Spirit to pour out grace for me to purpose and decision to keep my eyes on you, Today, no matter what things look like on the surface. Guard my heart to keep it soft rather than crusty. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Sally I. Kennedy irishthursdays@bellsouth.net , ©2011 http://www.sallyikennedy.com