Kindergarten winter break had come to an end and I was walking my daughter down to the bus stop. A relatively balmy weekend had given way to more normal winter weather--a stiff frosty breeze was hitting us square in the face.

My daughter, however, was in a great mood. "I LOVE THE WIND," she bubbled. "The wind is fresh. The wind is when God is blowing. God is blowing the wind right in my face to get my attention."

This from a child whose attention is very hard to get. "So," I said, "Does God have your attention now?"

"Yes."

The wise--that is to say, the childlike among us, may perceive that behind the unpleasant veneer of our daily circumstances, God may be found trying to get our attention. Our annoying, anxious, and even anguished moments may also carry messages of grace. And the uneventful, often boring, drawn-out times of our lives, the spiritual Januaries and Februaries, offer opportunities for reflection and prayer and deeper connection with God.

God calls us to new life even in the dead of winter. Does God have your attention?