As I type this on Thursday

morning, a gentle snow is falling in Fayetteville. Who would have thunk

it? Snow in Fayetteville?

Even my dog Bandit (we call

him that because he steals our socks) couldn't figure it out as he went

out this morning. He kept going around in circles in the white fluffy

stuff, just like the people do in automobiles. I hope to get some photos

later today of the beauty and how it "covers everything."

I will never forget winters

in Fairbanks Alaska. It can get down to minus 50 degrees below zero and

colder. I would teach my family to go to the window and put their open

palmed hands on the window and guess the temperature. With practice, we

all got to within 4-5 degrees of the actual temperature. I did this to

teach them how to dress in the Arctic because without the proper clothing,

things could get serious.

I will never forget driving

100 miles south of Fairbanks to Fort Greeley to visit one of our chaplains

and his family. Fort Greeley was just outside of Delta Junction and one

of the coldest inhabited U.S. military posts in the world. Ft. Greeley

was where the military and U.S. industry would perform tests on the effects

of cold on items. It was also where out gallant and brave soldiers went

for cold weather training.

We had gone to visit the chaplain

and his family who were serving there and to dedicate his newly adopted

son. He had invited Dee and me, Nikki and Robbie to a wonderful love-filled

dinner. We all prayed, then ate, and joked about the weather and talked

about God's work there at Fort Greeley.

After dinner his wife served

us some wonderful hot coffee. The chaplain then invited us to step outside

on his back porch and then he smiled. Now it was 40 degrees below zero

outside and I couldn't figure out why in the world we were going outside

to drink our coffee.

He again smiled at me and asked

me to hold my cup and throw my hot steaming coffee straight up into the

air. I looked at him with amazement but did as he said. I couldn't believe

my eyes at what followed. My hot steaming coffee immediately exploded

into a crystallized cloud of smoke and not a drop hit the ground. My family

and I stood there in total amazement. Folks, that's cold!

If you attended a "covered

dish dinner" at the Post Chapel, you just might encounter "moose

burgers" as one of the mystery meats. Or it could be Caribou, Bear,

Ptarmigan, Grouse, Salmon, Burbot or Halibut. Don't knock it until you've

tried it. They are all delicious.

In fact, the Ft. Greeley Chapel

is on the "moose kill list." When a 1500 pound moose gets killed

subzero temperatures at sometimes wee hours in the morning, and harvest

the moose for the chapel and the poor in the community. That is dedication.

I love all the seasons of the

year and I have loved most of the seasons of my life but there are some

interesting lessons about snow and rain. God's Word states that the "rain

falls on the just and the unjust." As I mentioned earlier, what is

to me amazing is the way that rain and snow covers everything absolutely

everything and everyone, rich and poor, young and old, living and dead.

There is a song that we do

at our church entitled "Covered in Red" and it speaks of even

"though Satan reminds you, God's Word has said, your sins are forgiven

and covered in red" this, of course, being the blood of Christ. Then

we sing "O The Blood of Jesus."

After I finish this article,

my wife Dee and I, and of course, Bandit, will walk down to the lake and

take in all the beauty and see all the "covering" and thank

God for his covering of forgiveness through his wonderful sacrifice of

His Son. Receive your covering in a Christ-centered New Year.

Dr. Knox Herndon is the pastor

of His House Community Church (SBC). The Rev. Greg Mausz is senior associate

pastor. The Rev. Dr. Lydia Herndon is the Sunday School superintendent,

Bible study coordinator and teacher. The church is below Senoia on Ga.

Highway 85 a mile south of Ga. Highway 16 on the right just below the

fire station. Visitors welcome. Church office and prayer line 770-719-2365;

e-mail [email protected] .

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