Now. And Then.

It's a little foggy up here this morning.  This is the view from my front porch.  Normally a photo taken from this position shows beautiful mountains, sometimes snow-covered, sometimes draped in clouds, sometimes verdant green.  But today this is the view:

 

 

The view from the end of the porch and behind the house is completely different.

 

 

 

No, it didn't snow last night.  And we didn't have an ice storm.  This is fog frozen onto the trees.

 

I did a little meteorological research this morning (translation, I Googled it!) and learned that this phenomenon is apparently known by several names.  Frozen fog.  Ice fog.  Rime ice. I even saw it referred to as hoar frost, but based on what I read, I think that is actually a different thing.  Whatever it's called, it's beautiful.

 

We spent most of our day in Asheville yesterday, and as we were driving home through Burnsville, the skies were sunny.  The closer we got to home, the more of this we saw.  It was like driving into a different world.  I felt as though we had gone through the wardrobe and were entering Narnia!

 

The ice fog, or frozen fog, or rime ice, or whatever it is, is beautiful.  The fog not so much.  The fog is more a nuisance.  It obstructs my view.  I have some errands to run later today, and if the fog doesn't lift, driving down the mountain and into town will be challenging because of the fog.  I won't be able to see my way clearly.

 

All this fog reminds me, as it so often does, of what the Apostle Paul had to say in the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians.

 

"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face."  (1 Corinthians 13:12) 

 

I'm seeing "dimly" out my window this morning because of fog.  But it won't always be that way.  The clouds will lift.  The sun will shine again.  And the view will be glorious.

 

Now.  For now we see life dimly.  Our spiritual vision is not completely clear.  We don't always think clearly.  We don't have a clear understanding of spiritual things.

 

But then.  Then we will no longer see dimly.  Then we will see face to face.

 

What a day that will be!

 

 

What a day that will be,

When my Jesus I shall see,

And I look upon His face,

The One who saved me by His grace;

When He takes me by the hand,

And leads me through the Promised Land,

What a day, glorious day, that will be.

(-Jim Hill)