Year-End Wrap Up

Everywhere we turn this week we’ll see the Top Ten (fill in the blank) of 2014. Top Ten Songs, Top Ten Movies, Top Ten Games… ‘tis the season for the year-end wrap ups.

I’ve been writing Where I Am for nearly nine years, and each December I enjoy looking back at the most popular posts of the year. I’m usually surprised by the most-read posts, but not this year. I knew in July what would be the #1 post: I. Am. The. Mom. Several posts relating to that one make up the most-read posts of the year. I'll get to those later this week, but for today, here's one of the most popular posts not related to our trip to the doctor's office: Snow and Sanctification. Probably a good reminder as I head into another January as a Michigan resident:

Snow and Sanctification
January 6, 2014

Want to know which of Snow White’s dwarfs I am today? I am Grumpy. Because I am grumpy, grumpy, grumpy about the snowpocalypse that has hit my house.

Fine, it hit, apparently, every house in Michigan. But it really, really, really hit my house. And I am not happy about it. Not. At. All.

Sean and Michael shoveled and snow blowed three times, including this morning at 5:30 so Sean could go to work. And I need to do it again now, because the snow just keeps on coming.

I think we’re way past a foot at this point.

Of course, I do live in Michigan now where lots of natives love the snow. Love, love, love it. And they love to tell me how beautiful it is. The next person to do that is getting de-friended.

While I’ve been stewing over my distaste for all things snowy, I stopped myself long enough to ask what I don’t like. Some of the answers are obvious – it’s freaking cold, someone has to clear the driveway, and snow which turns to water gets tracked inside the house. A big ol’ bummer is I can’t wear my favorite shoes because snow gets in my socks. That is actually a real problem for me.

And as I made my list of things I hate about this winter, I had to do a bit of self-correction. How often do I tell my kids we cannot allow ourselves to be controlled by our circumstances? (I’m sure they could do a pretty good imitation of me saying that!) Are we not told to give thanks in all things – even snow?

So even in this state of grumpiness, I will choose to find something to be thankful for:

• A warm house
• A husband who drives to work despite the weather
• A son who will shovel his dad out of the driveway
• A grocery store run this past Saturday
• A snow plow that will (eventually) come
• A ray of sunshine that I think I see

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not about to go out and play in the stuff. But I will not let it ruin my day. No more Grumpy for me; I'm working on Happy.

God is working all things for my good. Even Snowpocalypse 2014.

A view from my garage door this morning - there are three cars 

out there all covered up. Yes, if I stepped outside I could 

get a better picture, but I'm not that interested in photography.