Snow Day

We woke up to at least 12 inches of snow this morning….and the beautiful white flakes continued to fall for most of the morning. Gorgeous. Calming. Undisturbed. We sat by the window peering out at the wonder and beauty of it all.

Then reality hit. How are we going to get out? It is Wednesday; do they call off church in Indiana like they do in Tennessee? Our 3 and 1 year old grandchildren are here visiting and they want to go out and play in it. How do they do that and not step into snow that goes up to their waists and chins?

Then the noise came. The snow plow….yea!! Super!! We can drive on roads now! NOT! The snow plow repeatedly pushed all of the snow that covered the street onto our driveway! More and more snow accumulated into what looked like a small mountain range along our driveway and front yard. Perfect

Finally, after feeling guilty about the children peering out into the wonderland and not being able to actually touch it, I decided to put on layers and layers of clothing and venture out into the cold to shovel paths from the garage to the front door and down the driveway around the cars that are parked there so the kids can at least get outside without disappearing into snow drifts.

Oh what fun they had! They were covered with snow and were ice cold when we finally came inside. Then began all the work of peeling off their wet, snowy layers, bundling them up to warm them and dealing with all of the wet floors and clothes!!

Honestly, I was so very tempted to just stay inside where it was warm, comfortable, and cozy and where the most exertion I would do would be to boil some water for a hot chocolate package!! Not do as much hard, laborious work like shoveling….you know, take the easy way out!

As I sit and reflect on all of this, I believe there are a lot of us who have had ‘stuff’ fall down on our lives or our families. Perhaps there are words people have said or hurtful things people have done, or circumstances that have piled up so high around us that we, too, have become covered up like the snow covered up our yard. Perhaps some well-intentioned person has come along to help clear the way for you who ended up doing more damage than help.

Perhaps you are finding it just a lot easier to stay ‘inside’. It is just too hard and too much work and too difficult to venture out. To forgive.

Ladies, just like in Ezra chapter 4 as the people of Israel began to return and rebuild the temple there are those who will “try to discourage and frighten” you and “keep you from your work” and “frustrate your aims”, but I believe Jesus would say to you, like he said to the man in John 5 who had been lying by the pool of Bethesda for 38 years….”Do you want to get well?” (And I am pretty sure he said ‘YES’) then He told him…. THEN GET UP!!

Do you hear Him telling you to GET UP! GET OUT! To allow the presence and power of the Holy Spirit shovel off the bitterness and resentment and fear and hurt and clear a path for you to walk! He has much out there for you to see and do and conquer and love and experience. Don’t miss it.

You are prayed for.