When life gives you Snow.....

Snow! Snow! Everywhere Snow! There have been record cold temperatures and record snow fall for this early in the year in the Midwest (so much for global warming). It has been miserable. I hate the cold. I didn't always. Remember when we were kids and snow was a welcomed harbinger of days off school. We would be sledding down hills, building snowmen, building snow-forts, having snow ball fights and warming back up around the fire with hot chocolate and Charlie Brown Christmas specials on TV?

I have been pondering why was snow so much better back then? Then it hit me. Snow hasn't changed, I have! Now I am a snow scrooge. Snow means getting to work is difficult, shoveling the drive way, risking my life to go pick up a gallon of milk to make my kids hot chocolate, buying expensive snow boots for the kids because they already out grew last years, freezing while I scrape off the car windows, falling on the ice with gallon of milk, letting the stinky dog sleep in the back room so he wont freeze, and worst of all my old bones ache.

It's when I am feeling cold and grumpy I have a hard time obeying verses like these....

1 Thessalonians 5:16 "Be joyful always"

Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"

We should always be joyful, rejoicing, and giving thanks. That is the attitude we are to have at all times. To often lately I find myself sorrowful, complaining and ungratefull. Dear God forgive me. I was always a joyful spirit growing up. What has happened to me as of late?

I was driving to work through this stupid snow this week and feeling sorry for myself, when I had an idea. As I pulled into the parking lot at work, it was empty and covered with a new thin layer of snow not yet cleared off. No one was there to see me so I started doing donuts. It was a blast. Around and around I went in the snow. If you have never done donuts in your car on an empty snow filled parking lot, you are missing a great time. That is the kind of thing I would have done as a kid.

I am not old but I have gotten to old in my mind. I have all this responsibility and take life to seriously. I hate the sin, injustice, and death of this world. When I focus on all I have to do in the spiritual battle, I get depressed. I need to trust in God and let go of my worry, fear, and anger. I need to stop letting petty little things bother me. And so I find this little truth that has helped me find joy in the midst of a cold winter, rejoicing in the face of trials, and thankfulness in the face of a fallen world. I made the best of a bad situation. Be more positive. Take time to have some fun. And...

When life gives you snow, do donuts!