I find it amusing to monitor the pulse on the ‘impending’ weather as well as the weather as it arrives. I mean the reactions speak volumes to our hearts! Really. Why do we say...NO MORE SNOW! or BRING IT ON!! and even change to the other side once it’s here? I honestly think it gets at the root of our desire to control and for smoothness. Americans are busy people. Being married to a German (who mind you now can be quite diligent at his work) has helped me see this vast difference of staying busy with being still and enjoying. Why? Somehow, Europeans have fun built into their systems. Americans...we have work and accomplishment built in ours. The work hard/play hard is built into Germans every day life. In America, it’s work hard play one day when it’s all done. OK..I’m exaggerating a little. But think about it. Jesus always had time to stop and smell the roses and see the people around him (and his work was NEVER all done). It takes SNOW STORMS and VACATIONS to stop us! I mean we have to stay B-U-S-Y!! And don’t get me wrong...I lead the pack!
But what I’ve learned is how God is good to build in the breaks. He gives us the Sabbath (which we should enJOY!), he gives us seasons that CHANGE and unexpected events (like SNOW when the buzz is Global Warming). He just likes to make sure we can get over ourselves.
Here’s where the rubber meets the road though. Yesterday (Day 1 of snow storm)...full house of creativity, little electronics (if any until evening), much laughter and excitement. One day later, begs for electronics, exhausted from being outside and bickering and snickering that didn’t stop...and as my youngest would say...even on my BIRTHDAY?!!
Yes dear, even on your birthday, we can’t ‘fake it’. How sad. But tonight as I think about it (and prayed), the Lord blessed me. He showed me the gifts in it being COLD outside but HOT (and I mean sometimes teary hot!) inside. Why? Because of RELATIONSHIP!! Yes, you heard me...they aren’t easy. That’s one of the reasons we mom’s scream about no more snow days. They’re hard sometimes. But here’s what I think we miss...they’re HOT because there’s LIFE. Life that God placed in each one of us (and them). Life waiting to be affirmed, redirected and often disciplined. Even my OWN life needed that today. I’m not sure what I’m doing as a parent. Really, I think I’m clueless. I can take everything away from my kids OR reward them with full privilege rights. Neither of those REALLY get at their hearts. They’re the ‘outward sign‘ that all is not well or is well. Frankly, they don’t know yet. I pray for the day they do. Until then, it will be HOT inside, because there’s LIFE in this house! At the end of the day, I’m happy even for the fights. Why? Because there was chance for repentance (verses righteousness), forgiveness, and reconciliation with each other and with the Lord. It also reminds all of us of our NEED for Jesus and our need for him to set it all right ...one day!
I do think we want to avoid this ‘out of control-ness‘ that happens when everything is cancelled and we can juggle our “balls”. On the other hand it should show us the gift of REST and refreshment we need in Jesus, especially when it’s cold outside and HOT inside!
