Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Have you ever found yourself daydreaming while you drive? I knew you would. You have been driving for a while and before you know it, you’re at your destination and you don’t remember the trip. I used to do that a lot back in my Bible College days. Drove from Spadina and Bloor, back to Burlington after a whole day of classes. Got on the Gardiner and woke up as I pulled in the parking lot. Not good sometimes but I guess it has something to do with an autopilot of the brain.
Well, it happened to me again on Sunday. No, I wasn’t asleep like the old days. It was just such a wonderful morning of worship and I got caught up in thinking it through, and reliving the beauty of Christ as He came and sat in on our celebration of worship. And so on the drive home, I missed the scenery as I drove. Well, not entirely.
Down the street from us is a nice gentle hill that in the summer is beautiful and green. In summer it is meticulously groomed. But due to the size of the slope, not too many people walk up or down it. Except for the odd overly energetic sugar-filled children. That all changes in winter. Especially when there is snow everywhere. Well, after smiling all the way home I woke to the delightful sound of parents and children filling the air. The hill was alive with laughter and screams of delight. I even noticed a small child being comforted by a parent as they cried from what I assume was the fear of the first ride. There were other adventurous children wanting to race or ride together while others ran as hard as they could before jumping on the unsuspecting inert sled that didn’t see them coming. Caught ya! You were going back in your memory bank and reliving. I see you smiling.
I sat there at the stop sign taking it all in. There was even a boy who showed up like I used to, with only a large piece of cardboard. Those on the slope were having fun. Amongst the children of many ages were the parents or older siblings. I noticed them as well. Some were standing at the top of the hill, watching, chatting with someone’s mom or dad. They were watching all that was happening and continuing to talk as they kept a careful eye out for their own child. A number of these parent stood there with their arms crossed. In the coolness of this past bright Sunday afternoon, I presume they did it to keep warm while they shuffled their frozen feet inside their plastic designer boots.
Then there were the other parents. Who would have none of that? They jumped on the back of their child’s sled or toboggan and went along with them. Everyone on that trip laughed and screamed and . . . and ended up in a pile of arms and legs at the bottom with uncontroled laughter.
It was then that I really woke up. It might have been the sound of the horn of the fellow behind me waiting to get through the stop. But it wasn’t. It was God reminding me that there are times of joy in life. And we should join in. At any age! It’s time to get off the top of the hill, jump on the sled and just have a great time being with each other. Go down the hill, laugh, roll, get entangled, ride with each other, and realize, Jesus will be on the back behind us, laughing, rolling, getting entangled and gliding to a stop at the bottom of the hill yelling to each and every one of us, “Let’s do it again, yes, let’s do it again.”
Something to think about.
Rob