Snow Days!

I was recently snowed in for three days. THREE DAYS!!! That is a long time alone when you are not great at entertaining yourself. Despite every fiber of my being screaming "I need to get out of here," I actually enjoyed myself. Looking back, I could have left my house at any point; I have probably driven in more snow and ice than most people in Nashville. I think I was in need of a good excuse to stay home and do all of the things that I say I never have time to do. Unfortunately, this also led to the creation of new projects that I have since been claiming I don't have time to finish.

I spent most of the first day I was home working, both on my real job and school work. I also spent quite a bit of time reading Katie's blog, which you can find here. Her journey is amazing and inspiring and sincerely made me desire to be a better person. I chose the word desire carefully. It is a strong word, but it is true, this young woman's story made me long to do more with my life. I am still uncertain what that more is, but I spend time every day now contemplating what the bigger plan for my life could be. I am excited just thinking about the possibilities, but I also know that I can not stand idle waiting for that plan to be revealed. I have been trying very hard to do the most I can with everyday I am given.

Another realization that came about as a result of Katie's blog was that I have everything I need; actually, I have so much more than I need. I am often guilty of confusing need and want. I don't know how many times I have been convinced that I needed a new pair of Joe's Jeans or the latest Max Azria dress. I laughed as I typed that. How absurd is it that I would think I needed those things? I am very certain that no one has ever suffered any physical harm from not having designer jeans!

In the spirit of my realization regarding the abundance we have been blessed with, I spent my final two days snowed in cleaning out all of the closets and cabinets in my house. I wish I had taken a picture. I had an entire guest room full and spilling into the hallway with bags and boxes; I had more boxes in the kitchen, and even more in the garage. It took me an entire week to work up the energy to load my SUV and deliver everything to the local Goodwill. The expression on the face of the guy who helped me unload my overly packed car was priceless; it was extremely obvious that he felt he had drawn the short straw!!

It felt really good purging some of our belongings, especially since they went to a good cause. I have decided that I am going to try to be much more conscious of what we bring into our home. The clutter sometimes feels like it could very easily overtake you. I don't want to be defined by the things I own; I want to be defined by the person I am and by the kindness I show to others. It is easy to feel as though you are hiding behind your possessions. I know that on more than one occasion I have been guilty of feeling insecure about a situation and allowing myself to be reassured not by the fact that I am kind or intelligent, but by the fact that I was wearing something really nice. That actually turns my stomach to think about.

Lent is quickly approaching. As I consider the sacrifices I will be making for the Lenten season, the materialism that often consumes me is weighing heavily on my heart.

This post actually ended up being a lot more serious than I intended. However, I think that it is an honest reflection of how I spent my snow days. I was forced to slow down and given the opportunity to contemplate as opposed to just acting. Though I didn't realize it at the time, I desperately needed that time.

We (the zoo crew and I) did take some time to enjoy the snow. I'll close with a few pictures of our snowy fun.