When The Snow Falls

It snowed last night here in Central Texas.  It wasn't much, to be fair, more like a "light dusting." But still, it snowed and won't melt for a bit because it feels like 11 degrees outside. 

Listen, I grew up in Colorado and lived in Chicago for four years, so I can already hear the snarky comments from all of my readers from "Up North."  You think it's cute that all of us Texans are freaking out because of 1-2 inches of snow, canceling school, and clearing out the grocery stores of bread, water, and tuna.  

But things can get rough when you have zero infrastructure for wintry weather.  

When you don't have the resources to handle the problem of snow and ice, things get shut down, and your whole city can become paralyzed until the temperature rises and starts to melt everything. 

You might know a storm is coming, but when you can't prepare for it well, you can feel as though you are at the mercy of whatever occurs, and your only hope is that it won't take a terrible toll.

Maybe you are feeling that way right about now.  It could be that you may have expected the storm that battered you, but the way that it left you, the damage it did was unexpectedly awful.  

I want to give you some words of encouragement. 

One of the most impactful books I've read in recent years is by Alan Watt on living in the midst of uncertainty.  He wrote about how most of us spend our lives resisting the unknown, fighting tooth and nail against change, and transformation.  Then he said: 

Living thus, we never really learn to live with it. At every moment we are cautious, hesitant, and on the defensive.  And all to no avail, for life thrusts us into the unknown willy-nilly, and resistance is as futile and exasperating as trying to swim against a roaring torrent. 

In other words, the unexpected is always on the horizon, and you can either fight it and spend your life on the edge of anxiety or you can surrender to it and try to discover some measure of peace.   

The lessons we learn in these moments are applicable in so many facets of our lives.  There's more that we can't control in life than we can.  And you could also argue that even believing that there are things we can control is an illusion.  

But we can live in the moment.  We can embrace the present as it is. I'm trying to live into this, as challenging as it is. 

It makes me recall the words of Jesus when he exhorted his followers to not spend so much time worrying about what tomorrow would bring because today is filled with its trials and triumphs.  

I don't know what curve balls life has thrown you lately, but I know that you'll find a way to swing through them.  I don't know what challenges you are facing, but just know that you aren't facing them alone.  None of us is.  

Trust me, I need to listen to my own words just as much as anyone. So, may we work to embrace the moment, surrender our need for control of tomorrow, and find peace.  May we discover new reservoirs of courage and hope.  

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Ame