snowmageddon2015

Y’all… please forgive me if you are sick of snow… because where we live, we just got our first “real” snow-man-building-snow-ball-making downfall since 2011-   and before that, it had been 15 years since snow made it to the MS Delta.  Sooooo we were just a tad bit excited about it, as were lots of other Mississippians (according to the gazillion Facebook pictures being posted earlier this week)!  In fact, we were out of school THREE DAYS because of it.  Three days – since, as you can imagine, we haven’t raised our people on driving in the ice and snow.  Everything shuts down and we declare a holiday of sorts. {LOVE}!

My friend Amy T. posted this the other day on FB:

“@wztv_fox17: Snow Plow Driver Takes Down 50 Mailboxes”

Dear North,
You win. WE DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO WINTER!!
Love,
‪#‎OnlyInTN‬

What makes me smile, though, is that I’ve watched our more Northern-Southern friends be thrilled with their 1st snow day just like we were, but by the 4th or 5th (or 8th or 9th), these pictures started showing up on Facebook:

Or, how about this one:

Isn’t that the funniest???

When we lived in Nashville, we didn’t get a ton of snow, but we had enough to have established a pattern for snow days.  Snow Day 1 was just the best!  It was usually a total surprise-gift, so our family would take a true holiday.  We would stay in our PJs, watch tv and movies, snack on yummy treats, make snow cream, play family games, bundle up and play in the snow, then come indoors and nap.

Snow Day 2 was just as sweet.  However, I’ve learned that one day without structure is enough, so on Snow Day 2, I usually “scheduled” some purpose in our days.  We didn’t lay around and nap, eat, and watch tv ALL day… somewhere in the day was some “planned fun.”  Usually this involved friends, or crafts, or an act of kindness we could do for someone else.

But by Snow Day 3... This mama was usually ready for some order to return to the home!  Not too much work was done to maintain things on Snow Days 1 & 2, so by Snow Day 3 the laundry was piled sky high, damp and dirty shoes, socks, pants, jackets, scarves, and towels were blocking the back door, and the floors… Oh the floors… just yuck!  So, Snow Day 3 became “Bless this House” day.  We’d had our fun on the other days, and it was time to pitch in and clean up.  Because in my heart, I knew that there would rarely be a Snow Day 4 – in a row. 😉  We would do some house work, then back to family fun, along with an early bedtime, all happy for “normal” to return the next day.

This funny video definitely sums up Snow Days 1 and 2:

If you can’t see it here, click this link.  So funny and true!!!

But lately, our more Northern-Southern friends have missed A LOT OF SCHOOL!  {I remember the feeling one year when we missed 6 or 7 days either due to snow or scheduled holidays.  We were ALL (kids included) ready for the snow to go!  So to you true Northern and Midwestern friends… I can’t imagine how over it you are!!!}

A friend of a friend made a funny video about Snow Days 3 and beyond – I think it went viral within 24 hours of it’s posting!  Check it out: (If you can’t see the video, click here.)

All kidding aside, as in everything else, there are some truths we can gain from observing an overabundance of snow.

1.  Snow Days remind us that we are rarely content.    We often seem to want what we don’t have, then when we get more than “just enough” we begin to detest it.  It’s true for snow, and for so many other things in life.  Proverbs 27:7 says, “One who is full despises honey, but to one who is hungry, even bitter food tastes sweet.” When we are hungry for something, and get too much of it, even that good thing for which we long is detestable.  Too much of a good thing is… too much!

Can we simply learn to be content right now with where we are and what we have before us?

” Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up norleave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake norlet [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]”  Hebrews 13:5 (AMP)

2. A beautiful snowfall is also a picture of the trap of sin – My  mom’s pastor, Bro. Paul Middleton, posted on FB:  “Snow is like sin.  It’s all pretty and playful at first, but then it turns to sloppy wet shush that is dangerous and makes everything look nasty.”  Isn’t that true!?  As beautiful as a full covering of snow is, the melting away of that same snow leaves the ground ugly, lonely, and forlorn.  That’s the same trick the enemy plays on us.  Sin is enticing at first… then it always leads to death of some kind.

“We are tempted by our own desires that drag us off and trap us. 15 Our desires make us sin, and when sin is finished with us, it leaves us dead.”  James 1:14-15 (CEV)

But the good news is that we can be tempted and lured by the fleeting beauty of sin, but NOT give in to it!

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Cor. 10:13 (ESV) 

Did you also know that we can pray and ask NOT to be tempted?

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41 (ESV)

“Keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil.”  Matthew 6:13 (CEV)

“The Lord will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy and lovingkindness, oh Lord,
endures forever.”
Psalm 138:8 (AMP)

Many blessings to each of you… whether snowed under or sweating… You are so loved by God (and by me!)