It’s wet, it’s cold, it’s exam time

Posted by admin on Dec 3, 2008 in Issues & Ideas | 0 comments

As the rains of the west coast come in full force, they tend to dampen our spirits. It is this rain, however, that breathes new life. The rain gives rest to the plants. It refills our reservoirs that will sustain us for the future. It allows us to break out our trendy umbrellas and gumboots. The rain restricts where we can, or want, to study, allowing commuters and residents to meet new people while hiding indoors. The rain creates puddles to jump in, or to drive through while traveling past Fraser. It is instant refreshment. The rain washes away the dirt that has collected on the roads of earthly existence.

Each day the frost thickens and the sun shines from a greater distance for less time. Eventually, we will be making snowmen and pegging each other with snowballs, but there are things to enjoy in the meantime. You can engage the whole Canadian experience by purchasing or wearing a toque. It’s a time to get cozy, bundled in a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate near the double-sided fireplace in the Douglas Collegium. You can buy a nifty mitten gift-card holder from Starbucks. The weather allows temporary reign over the geese-free campus. You can practice safe driving skills while courageously trekking through ice and fog to get to exams. The distance of the sun enables you to enjoy it without fear of burning. Finally, the cool of darkness can serve as a reminder that God is the source of eternal light.

The impending exams we are all facing are certainly a source of stress. Tests allow you to prove what you know, but that’s about the only positive thing there is to say about exams. However, we serve a God who cares. Perhaps this is why it is wet and cold – it encourages us to study. When you are cleansed by the rain and bundled in warm clothes, seek God to help you cope with the rest of what a university student’s winter includes. Remember: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46: 1).

The crowning feature of winter is the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Jesus was born in a grubby barn, placed in a feeding trough, where there was no double fireplace. He was wrapped in bundles of cloth, not a fleece blanket and toque. We are called to rise above the elements in our environment. Regardless of the weather, winter displays our higher calling to do our best to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. “Let light shine out of darkness, may his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:5). Embrace winter!