Tripping Over Typeset

The white stuff is piling up and the wind is blowing cold. I’m wiping Della off with each trip she ventures into the outdoors.  She must jump through the snow to travel anywhere and so she brings in enough snow with her to form a good-sized snowball.

The boots are piled up by the back door and we inevitably get our socks wet as we step from our boots to our warm slippers.

I love the beauty of winter as I take it in from my patio window.  I enjoy watching the snow hang heavy on the trees and cover the earth like a blanket from the inside of my warm, cozy home.  Being out in it and actively participating in the playing of snow is not one of my favorite things.

In each of our ways we, as a family, take full advantage of being snowed in.  I huddle down in fuzzy blankets and books…. they bundle up and brave the cold.

My part in this whole adventure of winter is cooking up high carb meals and pouring the hot cocoa.  The rest of my winter-loving, 1/2 Canadian family take up the challenge of clearing the ice once again.

For my man, snow days and cold temps equate perfect days to lay down one more layer on the ice rink that has taken up residence in our backyard.  He’s pretty happy this winter with the success of this year’s rink.

He’s learned some new tricks of the trade that have made this the best rink yet.

• We now bring in the Ultra Hose Deluxe storing it in our summertime cooler.  This keeps the water from freezing inside the hose.
• My kid’s bathtub now has a hand-held Zamboni camped out in it
• And my patio chairs sit in the middle of the yard and serve as benches for resting hockey players and tired feet.

That is one of the many things I love about this man:  He makes the most out of what he’s given. 

The snow is coming in full-force today and dumping a good 10 inches onto their rink.  The wind is blowing hard and the temp sits at 9 degrees yet they’re out there shoveling because they know if they can uncover what is buried underneath… reveal what is hidden… a great treasure of fun is going to be found.

There is joy in the hard work of what they’ve done together.

They’ve all put time in, planned it out and dedicated time to this project together.  It’s all this working together that makes it this beautiful moment.

They are not just laying one frozen water layer on top of another but they are laying down moments upon moments that are shaping who they are becoming.

Their time, effort and energy are put into something they are building together.

And isn’t that true of each of us.  When we pour ourselves into our passions there is an energy and drive that pushes us forward. Even through the exhaustion that our dreams take to pursue He gives us joy and energy to keep moving forward in it.  We are truly living —  Living and taking in all that God has poured out on us.  We can find joy in what He has given.

And when the day is done, there’s a hot meal to fill their bellies and hearts are full as we share together the moments made from dumped snow and frozen water.