Treasures of the Snow

"All buses are canceled..."  the message drifts across the radio waves and into my sleepy brain and suddenly all my plans for the day are rearranged.

And it's okay.  We still did home school, but it had an extra flavor of fun because the big sister was home, popping in and out of the room with her witty comments.  Instead of rushing so I could go off to work we lingered over the marvels of some sea creatures and discussed pacifism at length.  All the while my firstborn was sorting laundry and baking cookies.

The snow piles deeper and the wind carves huge drifts and we snuggle down on the couch to watch a movie and eat not one, but two or three gooey warm chocolate cookies.  In the middle of the afternoon.

I'm really disappointed about the canceled evening plans.  I'll grieve a little, but I know that other happy evenings await me.  Giving thanks in all things...

You can call me Type A, and I'll admit to being goal-oriented, but today the gift--wrapped in fluffy white--is in finding joy and contentment in not being the boss of my universe.  In having my plans upended and finding it's not the end of the world.  The to-do list will still be there tomorrow and it may be a little longer, but it won't be a disaster--some of it may even turn out to be completely irrelevant.

The Book of Job talks about "treasures of the snow"...

Today I have found "treasures of the snow" in being relieved of the compulsion to keep my busy universe on its axis.  It's all safe in His hands, the ability to do any of it only possible by His grace, the sense of accomplishment a gift for another day,

Job 38:22 KJV

Through the Eyes of a Child

I hate cleaning toilets.

In fact, hate isn't a strong enough word.  Detest.  Despise.  Abhor.

There's only one thing I hate worse--you got it:  dirty toilets.

I must admit that my disposition isn't always at its sun-shiniest when tackling the dreaded job.   When my oldest was about three years old she came racing into the bathroom and asked what I was doing.  I grumbled something (unkind and impatient) like, "What does it look like I'm doing?!"

Completely undeterred by my grumpy attitude she joyfully shouted, "Making bubbles!!!"

Yep.  Making bubbles.  To this day I think of that every time I clean toilets.  It doesn't make me love it, but it does make a twitch of a smile cross my face.

Today it's snowing and blowing like crazy.  Grownups see it as something to shovel, a hazard for driving, and the beginnings of lots of mess in the entry way.  The kids see it as the beginning of lots of fun.  Undeterred by cold or discomfort, they're rioting around, making trails everywhere, snow angles are randomly flying around the yard, and they just can't wait for enough to sled in.

It's so good to see things through the eyes of a child.

About the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking,

"Who gets the highest rank in God's kingdom?"

For an answer Jesus called over a child,

whom he stood in the middle of the room and said,

"I'm telling you, once and for all, 

that unless you return to square one and start over like children,

you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in.

Whoever becomes simple and elemental again,

like this child,

will rank high in God's kingdom."

Matthew 18:4 MSG

Celebrating bubbles and snowflakes.

The kingdom of heaven.

Here on earth.

Faith

It started snowing Wednesday afternoon.  My kids had been waiting for it, longing for it, ever since we took the pool down.  Within minutes they were outside.  There was only the barest skiff  of white on the ice of the dugout and they were making snow angels.  No need for two feet of the stuff before they feel the joy.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for..."  These words go through my head as I watch from the window.  A more modern translation says, "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen..."

The kids are hoping for enough snow to ski/board on.  Hopefully by tomorrow.  The fact that there's only enough to make the skimpiest of snow angels isn't hampering their joy one bit.  They've seen evidence of things "hoped for".

I think we grownups need to live like that.  We've got the down payment.  Party like you know the rest is on the way!  It is.

 "Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave it up for us all,

won't he also give us everything else?"

Romans 8:32

Hebrews 11:1