Cardboard Boxes and Rainboots
There is a little saying that we use here in Arkansas: "If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes." You just can't predict the weather. That's the approach I took last week when I heard that there was a chance of snow flurries during the weekend. Every winter around this time, the weather channel predicts a snow shower, but I always wake up the next morning only to find soggy ground and a quarter of an inch of ice pellets dusted on the deck. This time around, I didn't want to get my hopes up and crushed, but at the same time, I couldn't keep my mind from dreaming of a white snowy winter weekend!
When the alarm clock's beep woke me up Friday morning, I sleepily sat up in bed. My mind automatically wandered to the upcoming events of my day - classes, assignments, and so forth. Suddenly, I remembered the forecast and my thoughts were stopped still in their tracks. I leaned forward in my bed toward the window and used two fingers to seperate the blinds and peek through them. My eyes almost popped out of my head when I saw the beautiful white blanket of snow snuggling every bush, every sidewalk, and every patch of grass! "It's a snow day!" My roomate called out. "All classes are cancelled and campus is closed!"
I've never seen a girl's freshman dorm so playful and excited. Like elementary school children, we bundled up in ever
ything we could find. Since no one brought offical snow gear to college, we made use with what we had: layer after layer of t-shirts, jeans over sweatpants, and rainboots to top it all off. We also owned no official sledding equipment, so cardboard boxes out of the trash room would just have to do. So the parade of colorful rainboots marched across campus with arms full of cameras and old pizza boxes. We even built a snowman - complete with
a fishing hat (it was the only hat we could find that we weren't wearing), an orange highlighter nose (we didn't want to swipe our meal cards just to get a carrot out of the cafeteria), and oreos for eyes (we keep a non-stop supply of oreos in our room - it is a necessity). After several hours of playing in the snow, we slipped and slid back to the dormitory with sopping wet jeans, red noses, frozen toes, three hundred pictures, and aching sides from all the laughter we shared. I don't think I've ever had so much fun in my entire life.
Later that night, I went on a quiet walk by myself in the snow, intentionally walking where no one else had so that I could leave my own footprints. I couldn't keep from smiling when I reflected on the events of the day: sledding on my stomach on a cardboard box, building a silly snowman, having a snowball fight, making snow angels, and taking pictures in the snow with all my new friends. As I strolled through the snow and watched the little ice flakes sparkle in the sunlight like glitter, I thought about the incomprehensible forgiveness of our Lord.
"Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:7)
When the alarm clock's beep woke me up Friday morning, I sleepily sat up in bed. My mind automatically wandered to the upcoming events of my day - classes, assignments, and so forth. Suddenly, I remembered the forecast and my thoughts were stopped still in their tracks. I leaned forward in my bed toward the window and used two fingers to seperate the blinds and peek through them. My eyes almost popped out of my head when I saw the beautiful white blanket of snow snuggling every bush, every sidewalk, and every patch of grass! "It's a snow day!" My roomate called out. "All classes are cancelled and campus is closed!"
I've never seen a girl's freshman dorm so playful and excited. Like elementary school children, we bundled up in ever
ything we could find. Since no one brought offical snow gear to college, we made use with what we had: layer after layer of t-shirts, jeans over sweatpants, and rainboots to top it all off. We also owned no official sledding equipment, so cardboard boxes out of the trash room would just have to do. So the parade of colorful rainboots marched across campus with arms full of cameras and old pizza boxes. We even built a snowman - complete with
a fishing hat (it was the only hat we could find that we weren't wearing), an orange highlighter nose (we didn't want to swipe our meal cards just to get a carrot out of the cafeteria), and oreos for eyes (we keep a non-stop supply of oreos in our room - it is a necessity). After several hours of playing in the snow, we slipped and slid back to the dormitory with sopping wet jeans, red noses, frozen toes, three hundred pictures, and aching sides from all the laughter we shared. I don't think I've ever had so much fun in my entire life.Later that night, I went on a quiet walk by myself in the snow, intentionally walking where no one else had so that I could leave my own footprints. I couldn't keep from smiling when I reflected on the events of the day: sledding on my stomach on a cardboard box, building a silly snowman, having a snowball fight, making snow angels, and taking pictures in the snow with all my new friends. As I strolled through the snow and watched the little ice flakes sparkle in the sunlight like glitter, I thought about the incomprehensible forgiveness of our Lord.
"Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:7)
What had been dirty ground just a few hours ago was now a fresh and sparkly covering of pure white snow. What had been dull and dry was now a playground for fun-loving college girls and their rainboots. What had been hard-packed was now a soft place for fresh footprints, laughter, memories, and friendship. Thank you, Jesus, for washing us whiter than snow, for covering our hearts with your soft grace, and for providing a fresh place where we can run, play, and celebrate our friendship with you.
Comments
Post a Comment