Snow days are filled with family tradition.  It’s a bit like being given a bonus round of play as a family.   Snow days consist of a change of pace and unexpected hours delivered in the form fluffy flakes.  On these days, snow angels and snowmen grace our front yard.   Snow cream is consumed and sledding ensues.  In NC sometimes snow days consist of scraping the dusting of snow together to form the tiniest snowman ever made:

Snow days=memories.  Snow days bring slowness.  Snow days re-route your routine and magic happens.

The recent snow days I have READ ABOUT (ahem, do not read any jealousy in the italics), are a physical reminder of a spiritual truth.  A truth I am learning and re-learning during this season of life:  

“Sometimes you have to get out of your routine so God can speak to you in a non-routine way.”      (Mark Batterson, The Circle Maker**.)

The magic that happens in our homes when we bundle up and trek out in to the winter wonderland, or play Candy Land and charades, or sip hot chocolate and linger by the fire; is something that shapes and changes our childhood.  It interrupts our regularly scheduled program and we are given extra hours and minutes to make memories as we slow down.

Similarly there is a magic that occurs in our relationship with God when we carve out an additional hour, day, or even a weekend to slow down and sip in the spiritual goodness.  This pause from our regularly scheduled program allows us to listen better.  We see things with a different lens.  Our journals contain different words.  Times of intentional solitude look different because they are different.

Unlike a snow day where we are granted bonus time to make magic…carving out solitude time in to our schedule takes so much intentional effort, we rarely ever do it.  There are so many obligations, so many excuses why this would never work.

To be clear there is great magic in taking intentional solitude moments. Frantic becomes unfrazzoled.  Busyness becomes betterment.  Hectic becomes healing.

Change of pace + Change of Place = Change of Perspective                                      (**Mark Batterson)

Sometimes we have to get outside of our world, downshift our pace, and relocate our thoughts to make healthy changes in our world.  I cannot imagine how different my life will be when we return to the states having followed this equation**.  That said, no one needs to move to Africa to shift their perspective.  A day of solitude can bring about real health and life change.

My challenge to you today is to embrace the unforeseen bonus time given when white weather interrupts your week.  But also…seek out intentional, thoughtful, spiritual time.  There are truly miraculous things that happen when we slow down and don’t do what we normally set out to do.

May You Be a Blessing and May You Be Blessed,

Jenni