The
idyllic winter
Let me set this one up by saying, this is a rather serious
topic matter to me and yet also funny as well.
The ideal winter for me is no winter at all. I am commonly
referred to as Mama bear around the house and my husband, Papa bear. We are
bears in a more literal sense than just a cute pet name. Once the outdoor
thermostat gets set for below 45 degrees I just want to take a big fat nap…….
Until spring.
I am the classic- let’s open the
windows, open the curtains, go to the beach and get some color, ooooh ice
cream, salad eating, bikini wearing, the less clothing the better, why isn’t
the fan on!?- person.
Have you ever been stuck somewhere
by your own doing? Yeah that’s me… I made some life decisions that have kept me
here all these years even though the weather here torments me to the inner most
corners of my soul. I am a slug when it comes to getting up and getting ready
to head outdoors early in the morning to go somewhere. Between 3-4 layers of
clothing just isn’t quite enough. Letting the car warm up so the ice will melt
off rather than wasting precious energy on scraping it. It is my goal once
again this year to get an automatic start for the old green tank that I drive,
in fact, just had the discussion again with my husband yesterday. It will at
least eliminate some of the torment. Anything to make surviving winter easier,
I say…
In regard to winter, there are many
scriptures that come to mind. One that seems to relate to me personally the
most is that Jesus came to give us life, life to the full. (John 10:10,
paraphrased) Now there are many days where I turn to the Lord to give me the strength
to get through a winter day. It is bleak and dismal outside, the sky is grey
and it is frigid out there. What reason would a person like me have to want to
do anything other than stay in bed all day? I have kids, right? They need me. I
have a husband, he needs me. I have a house to care for. So where does my
strength come from? Jesus. The first part of that scripture that I didn’t
quote- “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” John 10:10 NIV. If
I allowed it, winter is like a thief in my life. It does in fact suck the life
right out of me. Thief, being the devil. If I allowed myself to get carried
away with my feelings, giving into depression, pessimism, crabbiness, etc, who
then would I be benefiting? Better question yet, who then would I be serving? The
thief.
I will say, winter causes our
household to stay closer together. We watch movies together, stay in jammies
all day, communicate how we are feeling more because we all understand how the
cold weather grieves us so. I also know it causes us to look to the Lord for
strength for daily tasks as well. Where there is no motivation, there is no
energy.
I had debated ripping into the
subject of all the sicknesses going around this time of year too but I would imagine
my opinions would be miserably offensive on this subject matter. I guess given
the person I am, I have learned over the years to better prioritize what is
more important. I do at least have a few words, sending your children off to
school with snot running down their sweet little faces, with no hats or gloves
or snow pants, not cool… Or just sending them to school sick, period… Hasn’t
anyone figured out that’s how this garbage continues to get recycled unto every
child? And some parents might bock at my words but I see you too- I see parents
not wearing gloves, or scarves or hats and just wearing a light coat. What kind
of example is that?
I also do know that there are some
unkindly bosses out there who don’t understand that you may need to stay home
here and there to take care of your family- which is indeed priority number
one. Come on man… where have people’s hearts gone!? I’m pretty passionate about
this stuff you see. Every time my oldest daughter gets sick, her little heart
is grieved, much like mine is during the entire winter. She can’t run and laugh
and play because she is now sick. And with her little sister in the house who
has a questionable immune system, she has to stay away from her. Do you see the
chain of events that unfold? How often do we consider the needs and work load
of others?
I could certainly write pages upon
pages on subject matter regarding the health of children and a parent’s
responsibility for it. There is some inevitability to it all though. We are
locked indoors with all the windows closed with dry air.
Oh but how much sweeter is spring
when it does come? God faithfully folds back the blankets of snow and begins to
call forth the lush greenery that is eager and rested from a winters nap. And
how lively the trees begin to look, with their green beginning to fill in all
the space in between. We can’t forget the birds that sing a sweet song every day,
rejoicing over the warm weather and the plethora of food available. When it is
warm outside everything rejoices. Every living creature has a song of its own
in praise to God. Including in our household.
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