Well, a little less than 2 weeks ago, Omaha was DUMPED on. Starting Monday night and all day Tuesday, snow did not cease to fall. It was truly the first sign of REAL winter... and not to mention, got me SUPER pumped for Christmas. Not only did it snow crazy amounts, but Creighton cancelled school Tuesday and Wednesday. It was incredible. I was supposed to have a presentation AND a final... which, as a result of the crazy snowstorm, were rescheduled! N-I-C-E! So, instead of studying or working on my presentation, what did I do? On Tuesday, I just cleaned up my apartment a little and literally stayed in and watched movies all day. That night, I had dinner with a group of people, but otherwise, I just relaxed and de-stressed. It was a much needed lazy day to say the least. On Wednesday, I went sledding with my friends Carolyn and Kate. It wasn't snowing, but the roads were horrendous. Kate has an SUV and we had to, on numerous occasions, get out and dig her out of parking spots/her driveway/the road. [[BIG thanks to the city of Omaha for not knowing how to plow side streets.]] After sledding, we just drank some hot chocolate, watched some tv, and I went back home... to watch more movies and sleep.
As much as I love snow, I started to see the snow as a little bit of a nuisance... especially on Wednesday when we were trying to commute across town for sledding. Carolyn, Kate, and I found ourselves being a little whiney:
"Gosh, it's REALLY cold."
"It takes SO long to get anywhere!"
"No one even knows how to drive in snow"
"Why can't Omaha learn how to manage city streets when it snows?"
After sledding for awhile, Carolyn and I sat at the top of the hill, laid down, and just rested for a minute... we sat back up, we looked around the park a bit, and that's when our eyes really opened. We had just been complaining about the nuisance of snowstorm, but as we looked at the people around us and the snow-covered park, we could not deny the absolute BEAUTY of snow, the JOY of the sledders, and the LOVE radiating between friends and family at that very moment. Everyone at that park was sharing an incredible moment... God's undeniable presence, goodness, and beauty.
We realized how much we tend to gripe and complain about little insignificant things. Okay, yeah, it's cold... get over it. Okay, yeah, snow days slow you down and change the plans you might have had... rearrange. But you know what? Snow days are beautiful. Snow is beautiful. God made snow... and wants us to ENJOY it [DUH, Hence SNOW DAY... no work or school!].
Even when God blatantly hands us gifts and moments like snow days, sledding, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate with good friends, sleeping in, or maybe even getting an extra day to study for a big final, it's so easy for us to move our attention from the positive to the negative. We get really excited about the initial giving of the gift, but our excitement dwindles as pessimism and "realism" take over.
My goal? To start looking for the positive and the good in EVERY moment. I want to look at every situation and see the goodness and beauty of GOD. Times when I'm stuck in traffic? Enjoy and appreciate the song playing on the radio or take the time to pray and just talk with God. Waiting in line at the store? Meet the person behind or in front of you and start a casual conversation. You might find out something about them that you never thought you would.
I just encourage you all to take the time to be thankful for the little things, like snow. Take the time to really look at the beautiful earth. Take the time for yourself. Take time with God. Be thankful for the little "nuisances"... because they can be truly inspirational.
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