Snow Day

All week long its been raining and sleeting and snowing. And today we're having a real snow day. School was not just delayed - it was cancelled entirely - and it looks like we've gotten about 5 inches by now with more to come. My boys are playing on the floor with cars and legos while I sit by the fire with a cup of hot tea. There's nothing like a good snow day every now and then. It reminds me that my personal agenda is not the most important thing in the world. I had arranged what I thought was an important meeting today, but as the snow continued to fall, I realized that in the larger scheme of things, it wasn't that important after all, and there's really no good reason to ask people to get out on the road if they don't have to. So I cancelled it. My trip to the store can wait, too. What we already have in the house will suffice for dinner.

My family and I moved here from New Hampshire in 2007 and we generally like to make fun of how people here in Connecticut are such chickens in the snow. Early during our first winter here the school called a snow day one morning because a storm had been predicted for after lunch. We sent the boys out to the busstop without a second thought - it was slightly overcast, but there was no sign whatsoever of snow. It never even occurred to us to check if it was a snow day. They don't call snow days in NH unless it's a veritable blizzard. About 20 minutes after the boys left, it was the Poland Springs guy who asked us, "Those your kids out there at the bus stop? Didn't you hear it's a snow day?" I can only imagine the looks we must have given the guy. A snow day? You've got to be kidding! We went out and collected them again and laughed all day about how lame Connecticut is about snow. (To add insult to injury for poor Connecticut, the predicted storm finally arrived to leave a mere dusting of snow late that evening.)

But now a few years later, maybe I've adjusted to CT standards. Or maybe my older parishioners are rubbing off on me. Why go out when you don't have to? And I like how we're all together snug as bugs in rugs today. And I like being reminded that ultimately I live in the rhythm of God's larger agenda.

As I enjoy my snow day, I'm saying some prayers for people who aren't able to stay at home - the people who drive ambulances and police cars and plows and staff hospitals and fire stations and stores. I also tip my hat to Maryann, our church secretary, who came over to paint the trim in her office today. She has a vision of how great that office is going to look by the end of next week, and no stupid snowstorm is going to throw her off schedule!