Today is, indeed, the coldest day of the year so far. (Let's hope it doesn't get any colder.) I'm not sure it is even above zero out there! When Gary left for work this morning it was -11. Yikes!

It is interesting that in our hemisphere we celebrate Epiphany ~ the season of light ~ during this cold, dark time of the year. Maybe it is an opportunity for us to be truly grateful for the glimpses of light we experience. Maybe it is a reminder that our true light comes only from God.

Below I've pasted a prayer shared on the blog "A Place for Prayer." I don't know who wrote it, but I feel it reflects our Vermont experience of Epiphany. May your day be filled with the LIGHT.

Lord,
We come to you in a time of coldness and darkness,
Looking for warmth and light.
There are those whose homes are physically freezing,
And there are those whose lives are spiritually chilly
We know that we can help warm people’s homes.
We also know you can warm people’s lives.

We pray that there will be no more gloom for those who were in anguish
We pray that you lift away people’s burdens.
We pray you remove the things that oppress from people’s lives.
We pray you give courage to those who fear.

Lord your light calls us forth to follow and serve you.
Your light still shines for all to see in this world.
May we continue to reflect your light in our lives,
in our service, in our words and in our deeds. Amen.