As I write this, it is Saturday night. The last three days — including Saturday — have been long, but good. Lots and lots of snow — more than I’ve seen in a while — came to visit and we got hit with roughly eight inches. That’s really unheard of for south central Oklahoma. If we get snow, it’s usually no more than an inch or two (we usually have to deal with ice).
This year God said, “Let it snow.” And it did. And let me tell you: it was so, wonderfully good.
Because it snowed so much, I was off work for two days. And there was no school (well, there was a distance-leaning day on Thursday…but same thing essentially). That meant the whole family was home. It is certainly easy to go stir crazy during these periods of time. Cabin fever sets in quickly. But we also had the snow to enjoy!
It’s safe to say we had a blast in the snow — definitely the girls! We ventured out twice on Thursday and once on Friday. We could’ve gone out in the morning today, but it began to melt and wouldn’t have been worth it.
Yes, you do see me making a snow angel. When I’m in a poor mood, I tell myself to embrace fatherhood and do things for the kids, and not to focus on myself so much. You know, be like Jesus, Blake. Be selfless. That snow angel was my attempt at that. I loved every second of it because my girls did.
I also enjoyed (softly) pelting them with fluffy snowballs, including my wife.
Snow days are a gift from God. It’s a gift to relax, to enjoy family, to simply have fun. And have fun we did.
Because we were going through our 10th bout of cabin fever, we went to Shale’s parents’ house for a bit this evening. I went outside to put something in the back and noticed the sunset.
The combination of the beautiful snow and the sunset made me stop in my tracks. Sometimes it seems like God is saying, “Look what I can do.” And it takes nothing. I told Jovi the other day that God created the world merely by speaking (He could’ve done it without speaking, in case you were wondering). She thought that was so cool. He’s so incredibly powerful, and so incredibly good.
And let me tell you something about snow: it’s absolutely breathtaking. I noticed that in the below video.
It’s a short video, but it shows the stillness, the peace, the tranquility of the morning. The snow falls silently and looks beautiful.
This wasn’t a typical blog post, and it wasn’t meant to be. These are mere reflections on the last few days, and where I convey lessons learned even during snow days. These past three days have caused me to be thankful, to be appreciative, to be in awe of God is.
But I do want to leave you with something to chew on, a little word to meditate on. Our God is a creative God, the One who is a masterful artist and knows exactly how to capture our gaze. This God also cares for you. He cares enough to sometimes give you a snow day or two, to enjoy life, to spend time with family, to love friends. He offers relaxation and peace; He gives days off and much more.
I know that isn’t the care for everyone.
Perhaps you didn’t have any days off because it didn’t snow where you live. Maybe you’re living a different story right now. But I want you to know He still cares. He’a not aloof, completely unaware of your predicament. He’s here for you. Just look at the sunset, glance at the stars, and you’ll know the same God who created the heavens also created you. And not only did He create you, but saved you. Amen.
Blake Long 
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