So Punxsutawny Phil, the master forecaster told us that we're supposed to have an early Spring this year, and i'm super pumped about it because it has been a cold winter in Nashville. Even this very evening we are expected to recieve 1 to 5 inches of snow across middle Tennessee. Whether that happens or not... we shall see :) In any case, I'm hoping this will be one of the last humps to get over for this Winter.
It literally is funny though to see how everyone reacts to the snow. I'm not sure whether it’s just the people I seem to come into contact with on a regular basis, or everyone... But everywhere I go I hear about how all Nashvillians can't drive in this weather and how everyone else is freaking out. The other day it literally made me laugh as I over heard this particular lady who was recently from way down somewhere in South America expressing how all the drivers in Nashville can't handle the snow... (just think about it :)
In our mind we are always the "good ones" ... it's never us, it's never our faults, because we can handle the weather... We aren't' like the people who raid Kroger’s right before it snows... "it's those darn Nashvillians... ya know, the ones who can't drive in the snow!"
Recently I had someone cut in front of my vehicle on my way to work. I'm not sure if the person saw me or not, or if he just thought he was going fast enough to make it... even though he didn't. I slammed into his driver's side door making a pretty good dent in both our vehicles.. Then before I could think clearly enough to write down his tag numbers... he drove off.
At first I was like, "you've got to be kidding me!" I waited in vain thinking "surely he is just going to make a block and come back." Never came back...
What that person's actual situation was, I don't know. There are plenty of reasons why he would just drive off. The fact is he hit me and ran. He didn’t want to face the consequences, whatever those were for him. You don’t often run when it’s not your fault. People don’t often say “I’m guilty.” Or “Yeah, I’m a horrible driver in this kind of weather!” Or “Yeah I freak out a little when it’s going to snow, I bought five loafs of bread!” We never want to be the one the finger is pointed at… no matter how big or small the issue is.
Just a few days ago I was talking with a friend who was telling me how he was always available if I needed him for anything. He went on to tell me how he is pretty much always working and moving and how his work is pretty much his second marriage.
I believe this is one of the saddest things to witness. We live in a culture that promotes and pushes 24/7 efficiency. So much so that we praise the person who never stops and then we end up feeling guilty ourselves when we do finally sit and do nothing. But then on days like today its great! Everyone starts flaking out of work early in “caution” of the inch of inclement weather we are supposed to get. “It’s a safety issue!” That means we get to take a rest, guilt free! Bring on the snow!
Perhaps in all this then God gives us the gift of this white powder to remind us of how dirty we can get sometimes… to remind us that He is the only one who makes us clean, pure, and white. And to remind us of a season that screams at us to “Stop and Rest.” Stop; look in the mirror; and remember who you are. Remember the God who loves you… even amidst all your false efforts to be “good” without Him.
And so if Punxsutawny Phil is right…
May you take advantage of these last few moments of this gift of Winter you have.
- Caleb
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