Snow

It snowed. Again. Oh joy. Yippee. Can you tell I am not thrilled about it snowing once again? I don't mind the occasional frosting where it glistens in the sunshine and is like millions of diamonds dancing across my yard. What I don't like is the cold that comes with it, the constant wet floors, and the dangerous driving conditions. I'm definitely a spring, warm weather girl. So are my kids...they woke up to see the snow yesterday and Jaxen said, "Oh great. It snowed again." Just like that. No excitment in his voice but more of a disappointed, now I can't play outside without getting cold and wet tone. I even wore a shirt yesterday that my parents brought me from Hawaii recently hoping the sun and warmth from where it came would seep into my soul and help my attitude a little bit.

I think I'm going to need something more than a shirt. :)

So through the snow, we had to trek across town to get to basketball and cheerleading practices last night. Jerod's mustang feels about the same as me when it comes to snow, so it had to stay at home. I dropped the boys off and headed downtown to where Jayla's practice was. It took me almost an hour! Now granted, I avoided the highway because snow+people+highways=disater, but still...an hour?! The good news is it gave Jayla and me a good chance to talk, sing and experience an adventure just the two of us.

As we were headed down a street not too far off the boulevard, we saw this woman hunkered down, walking in the snow. The snow was coming down very heavily and the temp was a whopping 25 outside and I felt this overwhelming feeling to give this woman a ride. So I slid to a stop and asked if she wanted a ride. When she got in, did I get a thank you? a bless you? a you're so wonderful and brave to pick up a complete stranger in the scary part of town? Nope, nope and nope. I got, "Do you have any money?" Are you kidding me? I just saved you from walking in this blizzard and that's the first thing you say to me? Well, being that I did have my daughter in the car and was trying to be a good example, I politely said no....where do you need to go? She told me it was this bar a few streets over and it's ******* cold out there. Are you sure you don't have any money? Good grief, this isn't turning out to be a good thing. Not only is this lady not appreciative, she's saying words in front of my kid that I'd hoped to shield her from...FOREVER! So I once again told her I didn't have any cash, but she could have all the change in the coin cup of my console. Then tried to explain why I didn't have any cash for reasons I don't know...shouldn't have to explain myself to this woman...I was doing HER a favor. About that time, we were at the bar she needed to be at and she once again expressed how ******* cold it was and I told her yup, it's 25 outside...I couldn't stand to watch you walking in it. And then she said it...Well thank you and then got out. GASP! She said it. Jayla and I continued on our journey to get to cheerleading practice but she has wanted me to share this story with everyone.

I started thinking about it last night and wondered...how many times do we hear instruction from God to do something but don't do it because it doesn't benefit us enough or directly? I was so irritated that this lady immediately asked me for money instead of thanking me that I'm afraid I missed an opportunity to share God with her. Why did I need a thank you? While Jesus was on the cross, did he say, Wait! Nobody is thanking me for being up here? I'm not doing this anymore! Nope. He just died quietly and humbly and wasn't doing it for the thank yous. I pray that I can start being open to doing whatever instruction God gives me...no matter what the outcome for me is. Whether unpopular, dangerous, or just not knowing the ending, I want to obey. Immediately obey. Because he has a reason for asking me to do it in the first place and it's not right for me to question it.

I can say that even though she cussed, smelled, and was obviously clueless on manners, I am glad I stopped to pick up this woman. I would do it again and again. It showed my daughter that even though she wasn't the nicest, we served and ministered to her in the short amount of time she was in our life. Jesus had people spit on him and continued down the path God chose for him. I hope in some way that this showed Jayla that we encountered her for a reason. We may never know why or what happened after we dropped her off, but God puts His people where He wants them when He wants them there. To do His work and it's up to us to listen and obey. And I'm glad I listened and obeyed.

Has God been instructing you to do something that you've been neglecting because it's unpopular or "not your idea"? I pray that we will all learn to listen and obey and hold each other accountable for doing so. The reason we are on this earth is not to enjoy what it has to offer but to do the work God has planned for us to do. Bless you today and stay warm! ;)