All shoots were cancelled here yesterday. Businesses and schools were shut down and everyone buttoned up for the first blistering blizzard of the year. The snowblower said hello to the lawnmower as they traded places in the garage for the season.
Armies of snowplows began their wintery march down the Interstate. Kids went sledding and the snowmen seemed happy, while even the cash registers in the mall became silent… no more sales this shopping day. Instead, moms and dads came home and somewhere, someone was making hot cocoa. Somewhere a dad was reading a book. A mom was hanging up soggy mittens to dry. Families all over the Midwest spent time together. The busy-ness of this season came to a grinding halt for most of us.
It made me think of the tail end of a sermon I caught this Sunday, walking into church…half an hour late. 🙂 Yes, I have issues with busy-ness too.
The pastor was talking about the holidays. The turkey, the stuffing, the football, the Christmas shopping. He told of a time when he was a boy, out under the stars with his brother, watching a meteor shower. Every few minutes his brother would shout, “Did you see it?!” and he would shout back, “Yeah! I saw it!” But he didn’t. He was too busy thinking a bear would come out from beind the garage… Then a few more minutes would pass by. “Did you see that one?!” “I did! Wow!” But he didn’t. By then he was bored. “Did you see that?!” “Yes!” But really…no… It was very dark. And the entire night, he never did see a shooting star. He just kept on saying he did.
Then the pastor asked this question. This busy season, with all of the shopping and work and turkey and toys and wrapping paper and egg nog and lights and… “Did you see Him?” “Yeah!” “Did you see the Savior?” “Sure!” They say He is the reason for the season, that really sounds great….but, “Did you really, really See Him?”
I suppose a few more snow days couldn’t hurt.
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