Snow Day

The morning came upon me through the alarm on my phone. It was still dark outside so the light of the alarm made me squint, 6:00 A.M. I quickly checked the text messages to find a message from the school…Snow Day!

In the Midwest, a Snow Day is an unexpected opportunity to hit the snooze. It is a day for play, for building forts in the living room, and snow people in the yard. It is a chance to bake cookies or repaint fingernails. Essentially a snow day is like extra time. It feels that way until the snow trucks can get to all the country roads, so life can go back to normal. For a moment, a Snow Day freezes the routine opening a door to a new opportunity.

I am in a Snow Day season, not just because it is January in Iowa, but because I have stepped into a new chapter. I look around to see all surfaces have been wiped clean. I am facing an empty slate of possibilities.

Have you ever been there?

Did you fear the unknown? The shift from what is expected to brand new?

As a child, such a situation would feel inviting. Who doesn’t like making the first footprints on a fresh layer of snow? But as a middle-aged woman programmed by the same old, same old…it feels daunting.

How would you answer this question?

It is time to start over, what will you do now?

Through the years I made many life goal lists. With my current opportunity to put those goals into practice, I realize my dreams will take some hard work to be actualized. This invitation to start fresh is more challenging than I imagined it would be.

So where do we find the strength to do the hard things?

As you take time to read this post I wonder where you find yourself today. Are you facing the nagging feeling that your diet needs to change? Maybe you are frustrated by the broken communication you have with your loved ones. Do you find yourself in a prison of bad habits? I know your situation may not look exactly like mine, but in life, there is always a whisper toward something better.

I lean into my faith in God. In moments of fear, I hope God is with me. In moments of triumph, I am sure of it. For all the moments in between, I have leaned into the prayers and support of those dearest to me. But there have also been those surprise moments when someone I don’t know very well has shown kindness or spoken a positive word to me. I call those moments: diamonds in the rough. hidden treasures in the dark. This is how I am sure I will be okay on this new path. Yes, I will find where I need to go.

“Thank you, God! I know you are listening! I am sure that you see me.”

In truth, I am aware that I need other people in my life to help me see beyond my limitations. This was God’s intent when he created us. He wanted us to be in families.

At present, I have been cutting things that haven’t been bringing me life. In an effort to get my feet out of the pit of sadness, I have been looking hard at my habits. Taking a deep breath, I decided to say goodbye to some of my coping mechanisms: consuming all things gummy, chocolate, and savory. I put a limit on television and Netflix, I decided instead to head to bed early. By cutting the distractions I am starting to see into the dreams I really want to pursue.

Have you been there? Have you gotten to the point of staring your bad habits in the face and making the choice to change?

If I said I came up with this on my own I would be lying. I was coached toward these changes. Recently my husband, Brad, decided to become a life coach. In this new pursuit, he has started helping many people with their life and health habits. One night as I chomped on some gummy bears, I asked if he would coach me. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if it would work. But as he began to ask me questions about what I really wanted out of life, I realized the habits I was currently committed to were not going to get me where I wanted to go.

The changes didn’t happen overnight, but the Lord brought friends into my life through this difficult transition. They listened and prayed, and helped me decide I could step away from my coping skills to better choices.

This is what I have learned: I am not an island. My success is found in sharing life with others. This is God’s blessing on my life and yours.

Are there dreams you have put down to meet the demands of life? What childish joys have you forsaken to keep food on the table and children clothed? What light and joy of life have you overlooked because it seemed to be too selfish? 

I dare say you have a list, and so do I. I wonder even now the courage we could gain by sharing our hearts with someone else. How could we gain perspective by deciding to open up? We need support. We need faith. We need community.

The sober reality is: time is short. We only get one life. How will we live it?

A Snow Day reminds me of the magical hope I carried in childhood. Anything was possible, absolutely anything. All I had to do was put my heart into it. I could climb any mountain…hop on my red plastic sled and ride the path down where ever it would lead. 

Yippee!

Anything was possible!

I want to feel the effortless bubbling laughter of soaring in life. Trudging through life seems more logical, sobering, and practical, but that is why a Snow Day is so important.

How about you? Are you longing for a Snow Day? Are you dreaming about what could be, but are buried knee-deep in real life? 

Where is your faith? Have you looked up lately? Have you leaned into the Wisdom of old?

What if the God of the universe is actually for you? What if he is cheering you on?

Sometimes the weight on my shoulders is due to my refusal to let God into my life. I grudgingly call out, “I can do it myself, thank you. I have my life under control.” When God is just waiting to bless me with a Snow Day. An opportunity to look beyond the structure and rules so I can just be. Be a child again with my Heavenly Father making snow angels in the morning sun and happily laughing and free.

This is my dream though laundry piles up along with dishes in the sink. I am far from managing my home, but I choose to pause for the Snow Day. I put on my boots over 2 pairs of pants. I wrap my scarf over my warmest coat and I pull down my hat as best I can with thick gloved fingers.

“Come on Judah,” I call as I hear the tromping of his little boots and the cheery tones of his excitement. We are venturing out into the white wonderland with glistening flakes piled to our knees. We will chart a new course in the unscathed snow bank. This is us, embracing the Snow Day.