The Stress of the Snow
Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
In my home, the winter season has brought our family a different type of stress. There are no better words than to simply refer to it as "snow stress." In Texas, meteorologists seem to prepare us, for days, as we anxiously await what might be referred to as the "Texas Two-Flake." We make certain that all the roads are ready, no bread is on the shelves, and pots of warm soup are cooking on the stove for the snow day...that never comes. If a north Texan blinks, he/she will miss the two flakes that fall from the sky. The cycle through which we put ourselves is almost unbearable as sleep deprivation hits hard when parents, educators and children alike wait on pins/needles for "the call" or "the words" on the bottom of the screen announcing we can sleep in! This season, in Grapevine, Texas, the call and the words have not come.
It has been quite a different winter season for my daughter in Auburn, Alabama. On January 17th, the students of Auburn had the joys of experiencing their "first official snow day" of the 2018 school year. I cannot post the words my 13-year old Texas teenager uttered when he heard his big sister was "snowed in." At once, the parents of Auburn students received no less than 100 notifications through social media. Because of the overwhelming power of the internet, parents had access to the road conditions, the wind chill warnings, the number of wrecks occurring near the AU campus and the locations of our "18-year old adults" at any given point in time. 12 hours away and "snowless," I found my blood pressure rising between notifications. My brain went in overdrive as I saw words like "hypothermia and frost bite." Does my Texas girl even know what those words mean? Does she even own a hat and a pair of gloves? If she doesn't own them, I sure hope she doesn't try to go buy them. If she goes and tries to buy them, I hope she's safe. Part of her being safe will include a windshield free of snow. Does she have an ice scraper? Oh Lord, Texas Taylor has never even SEEN an ice scraper!!! Within minutes, the "snow stress" had settled in my head/heart once again.
Suddenly, in a God-whisper moment, it is as if I heard Him say to me, "STOP." Actually, God may have screamed...just a little. Immediately, I put my phone down and abandoned my computer for the next several hours. When I found my head/heart wondering down the familiar path of "what-if's," I uttered a four word prayer. I simply said, "I trust you Jesus." The peaceful feeling that overwhelmed my soul is one I will not soon forget. In today's society, I believe we live in a state of information overload. The more information we receive, the more our anxieties increase. If you did not feel a hint of stress before you sat down at your computer, you will as soon as you check the news and/or social media. To abandon every form of technology I owned forced me to lean further into the beautiful provisions of my Almighty Father.
At the end of the "snow stress day," I received a PERFECT picture of my Auburn Tiger. Standing in a backdrop of beautiful snow was Taylor Vaughan. You will not believe this, but she had on an adorable hat. She had warm gloves on her hands, and this Texas momma could see the "layers of clothing" Taylor chose to wear. One day later, on a very chilly afternoon in Colleyville, Texas I returned home to find one sunny, bright spot of light and warmth in our driveway. Without a moment's hesitation, I parked in the light, abandoning even the warmth of our garage. I truly believe Jesus' greatest desire is for us to strive at keeping our minds, bodies and souls "parked" in the light. As you move forth in this day, hold this four word prayer in your heart: "I trust you Jesus." Park your soul in HIS glorious provisions.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
It has been quite a different winter season for my daughter in Auburn, Alabama. On January 17th, the students of Auburn had the joys of experiencing their "first official snow day" of the 2018 school year. I cannot post the words my 13-year old Texas teenager uttered when he heard his big sister was "snowed in." At once, the parents of Auburn students received no less than 100 notifications through social media. Because of the overwhelming power of the internet, parents had access to the road conditions, the wind chill warnings, the number of wrecks occurring near the AU campus and the locations of our "18-year old adults" at any given point in time. 12 hours away and "snowless," I found my blood pressure rising between notifications. My brain went in overdrive as I saw words like "hypothermia and frost bite." Does my Texas girl even know what those words mean? Does she even own a hat and a pair of gloves? If she doesn't own them, I sure hope she doesn't try to go buy them. If she goes and tries to buy them, I hope she's safe. Part of her being safe will include a windshield free of snow. Does she have an ice scraper? Oh Lord, Texas Taylor has never even SEEN an ice scraper!!! Within minutes, the "snow stress" had settled in my head/heart once again.
Suddenly, in a God-whisper moment, it is as if I heard Him say to me, "STOP." Actually, God may have screamed...just a little. Immediately, I put my phone down and abandoned my computer for the next several hours. When I found my head/heart wondering down the familiar path of "what-if's," I uttered a four word prayer. I simply said, "I trust you Jesus." The peaceful feeling that overwhelmed my soul is one I will not soon forget. In today's society, I believe we live in a state of information overload. The more information we receive, the more our anxieties increase. If you did not feel a hint of stress before you sat down at your computer, you will as soon as you check the news and/or social media. To abandon every form of technology I owned forced me to lean further into the beautiful provisions of my Almighty Father.
At the end of the "snow stress day," I received a PERFECT picture of my Auburn Tiger. Standing in a backdrop of beautiful snow was Taylor Vaughan. You will not believe this, but she had on an adorable hat. She had warm gloves on her hands, and this Texas momma could see the "layers of clothing" Taylor chose to wear. One day later, on a very chilly afternoon in Colleyville, Texas I returned home to find one sunny, bright spot of light and warmth in our driveway. Without a moment's hesitation, I parked in the light, abandoning even the warmth of our garage. I truly believe Jesus' greatest desire is for us to strive at keeping our minds, bodies and souls "parked" in the light. As you move forth in this day, hold this four word prayer in your heart: "I trust you Jesus." Park your soul in HIS glorious provisions.
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