29  This is a lighter wispy piece that preceded my spiritual piece that I emailed earlier…

Carpentry, Friendship, Imperfect Snowballs and World Peace, 15JAN

My Subaru was dancing again – very briefly for a short flurry on the turnpike – those dancing swirly wispy snow drifts on the dark pavement – I have been praying for snow – not just for me – not just for those kids at heart who long to sled, play, and have snowball fights – but also for those who enjoy the quiet – enjoy the sound-dampening air-pocket filled piles of big beautiful fluffy flakes covering the muddy icky ground – absorbing sounds – preventing hustle and bustle and causing peaceful quiet all around.  no driving, no school, no work, no fuss, the world takes a rest. World peace exists. Perhaps you might hear God say “Be Still and Know that I am God” – if anytime you could, it is probably more likely when it is snowing….

I need snow for my beloved vacation bible school this year – snow balls are free – they are fun to make – they store well in the freezer and what a treat for the kids to have a snowball in the 100 degree heat the last week of July – big kids and little kids alike will be awe-struck.  so in order to do this – I need snow – I need packing snow – um…I bought discounted fake spray snow – to give that niveous snow look on the windows… but  where is the real snow?  I am from upstate – there is plenty of snow there, and worse to worse I will have to make a pilgrimage if needed – I will get my snow – but wouldn’t it be nice if snow came to me?

While waiting for the snow this winter, I am happy that a friend and contractor/carpenter – came to me yesterday.  I have so many little and big projects that they accumulate and then I am gifted the opportunity to get them all done as superfast speed – when he comes on occasion from a long distance away…  it is beneficial to not only be able to accomplish tasks, but his friendship allows for the honest open discussions of the attributes of different types of dishwashers – different grades of wood flooring – and open discussions of how much work and cost each level of repair will take.  You have to count your blessing when you can have an honest discussion on anything – and the trust factor is so key when you are talking about the improvements in life and house that will impact your day to day micro-world – home where you rest and where you draw your strength from to face each day with a fresh attitude – home for you and your family.

Well – an unexpected gift came with the expected arrival this contractor friend, the gift was the snow.  snow from far away – melted, refroze, cemented on the van – it was the first thing that caught my eye – I ran for a plastic bag  – I knew what I had to do – I had to have that snow. But sadly it was icy – it was hard to chip off – it was dirty and salty from the road… ice that used to be snow is imperfect… clumps of melted ooze – snow on cars gets melted, refroze, and cemented down. but chipped it I did and put it in a bag – still a snowball even if it was imperfect snow – it still evokes the images and feeling of snow – it still works…it wasn’t the snow I thought I was going to get when I prayed for it – it was imperfect but still it was snow – and it reassured me that more snow was going to come – at some point – in some golden silent time.

Then as I dashed off to work, snow flurries came down – while listening to a song sung my by daughters church choir – “Thank You Lord” – “he sends the snow in winter”.  Snow kisses while dreaming of snow, a cozy repaired nesting house, and world peace…  A nice gift from God just like a few weeks prior when I wrote the poem:

up early leave early.
a Northerner awakened.
wispy white wondrous
snowdrifts dance on the untreated Turnpike.
dancing under the direction of the wind.
occasionally caught in the imperfections of the road.
the Subaru danced me all the way to work.