I know there were quite a few things that people could have done without this week. Power losses. Parents frustrated at finding places for their kids while school was off, but work was on. Shoveling snow. Slipping on the ice. Injuries both minor and major. Sorry to anyone who experienced this past week as a burden. But for me, it was great. 🙂
It’s been a busy month. I generally feel I do an okay job of balancing family life with work life with social life with personal life, etc. Okay, maybe not always. But this past couple months especially included quite a few things that couldn’t be changed/rescheduled/denied. From the get togethers’, parties, and programs of celebrating Christmas/New Years, through the loaded January of 2011, culminating with the annual “Frostbite Senior High Retreat” (which went GREAT, thanks to all of Gods’ incredible volunteers/workers)…I entered this week needing to breathe slower.
It really wasn’t that bad here in Decatur, especially when looking at pictures from Chicago, and hearing amounts of accumulation from cities not too far from us. 7 inches of snowfall, give or take, with a few inches of icy snow at the bottom. Sure, it’s been slippery. Yeah, many of us have gotten stuck or had to help someone else out who got stuck. But in the midst of it all, great things happened.
I’m my neighborhood, and possibly yours, there’s an unspoken assumption of relationship. Kinda like being “Facebook Friends” with a vague acquaintance, many of us assume we’re friends simply because we live in the same neighborhood. But nothing breaks the ice and develops actual friendship like walking down the street with your shovel…having time and ability to offer. It was great to connect with a few people who normally pass like ships on a mission.
But even greater were the moments at home. Nothing spectacular was created. We didn’t use the time to work on a specific project that needed done. The bathroom faucet still leaks. But we threw pillows and blankets on the floor to enjoy a movie or two. I got to stomp my wife in Scrabble (okay, it was “Upwords”, and it was pretty much neck and neck all the way). We made food and ate together. We danced to Veggietales, and realized Ruby is already mouthing/singing the words as best as she can. I even read a little bit with some freshly roasted coffee. It was beautiful.
May we make effort in the next month, to assist “Sabbath moments” in breaking through. They are needed, both in relationships with those around us, and especially with those we share a home with. God can do great things, when we slow down a bit more…(or are slowed down). 🙂
words from wick 