God Sent Me Winter Roses! St. Therese “I will let fall from Heaven, a Shower of Roses”

God Sent Me Winter Roses

It was a very wintry morning in 1994…..the chill in the air awakened me.

Quietly, I rose out of bed not to disturb my husband and children asleep. Looking out the window, I could not believe how much snow had fallen through the night.

My next thought was, how we were going to clean out the driveway? Our driveway at that time, was around 125 feet long…

The snow, well…. the snow was thigh deep!

Yes, and it was a very wet heavy snow, and we did not own a snow blower, you may find that odd since we live in a snow belt.

However, my very young children at the time, would not be able to use one, nor my husband, (he was physically handicapped and disabled).

I decided to make some coffee, and ponder on the thought of the task needed to be done. One more check to see that everyone was still sound asleep, and they were.

I decided that if we were all going to get out today, whether it be school for the children, or myself off to work, the shovel was waiting. I honestly did not know how I was going to shovel my way out of this one….so I began, trying to not give it any thought……..

The snow, as I mentioned, was very, very heavy, and wet, so my progress was indeed to slow for me to even go in depth with. Nearly half way down the driveway, but only on one-side, I could not see my way out, knowing I had to manage to keep on going……and going, is what I did.

When I came back up the driveway, on the opposite side, midway, I needed to just stop and catch my breath…as I did, I took off my mittens, and hat to cool my very warm head.

It was at this time, I started to smell the “Winter Roses”  Roses? What Roses? Winter Roses!

There are no roses here…I glanced off to the side of the driveway and looked around, just on case, well maybe, there was a bush of roses finding it’s was in the winter snow….Roses Die in the Winter,  Roses do not hibernate.

I must have been really over worked, exhausted, and sweating, ….”winter roses”… but yes, all around me was the sweet fragrance of roses, calming me, the beautiful scent, remembering summer, and needing to finish the task on hand, but I was afraid to move….

Thigh deep still in the snow, I did not want to move, because if I did the scent of the roses would be gone….

I stood there, content in the wet snow, and just for the few moments, I thought God was sending me “Winter Roses” to calm me,  strengthen me, and love me. Or was it His Mother “Mother of God?” Or was it St.Theresa, known for her fragrant roses?

St. Therese, “the little flower”~ “My mission – to make God loved – will begin after my death,” she said. “I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses.” Roses have been described and experienced as Saint Therese’s signature~St. Theresa of Lisieux

It was “Heaven Sent” the fragrance in the air was remarkable, yet breathtaking.

I finished my task joyfully, and went inside pleased to waken my family.

They all asked me, why I looked so happy that morning?  I told them “God sent me Winter Roses, Today!”

No matter what happened that day it was not to be spoiled by anything, but to always be treasured remembering~

When I went to work that day, everyone asked me why I looked so happy that morning…..I told them….”God sent me Winter Roses Today.”