Unexpected Crystals

Have you ever had something unexpectedly hit you? Something that, although it hadn't necessarily come out of nowhere, it still was shocking?  Today was one of those days.  Nearly everyone in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan woke up to a major snowstorm--a veritable blizzard--and it lasted nearly all day.  Had it been forecasted? Nope.  The weatherman had predicted about 2" of snow. Ha. It snowed that much before I had even awakened, and I awoke rather early to see my daughter off to volunteer at school for the day.

Because of this unexpected snowstorm, all of our Saturday plans were curtailed, or should I say, canceled.  We weren't able to go work out at the rec, and worst of all, the Snowcoming dance at the High School was canceled.  Unfortunately, that meant no hair up-do's, no putting on fancy dresses and ties, applying awesome makeup and going to dinner; it also meant that my eldest couldn't return to her dorm and Bethany couldn't come home from volunteering--the roads were awful.  It also meant homemade chicken noodle soup, a "Project Runway Season 7" marathon, shoveling and salting the driveway and laying around.  It's funny how we can all have so many plans for our Saturday, just to have one thing put the nix on absolutely everything.

Isn't that just how life is?  The unexpected creeps up on us, and we need to be able to 'go with the flow,' and relax a bit.  I was able to spend some time really looking at God's creation today; noticing the subtle nuances of the crystal-like snow falling on the barren branches.  It was rather beautiful.  How something so very cold, transparent, and virtually unwanted by every adult (but not children on a weekday), can transform even a barren branch into a beautiful, crystal like creation.  I let the dogs out, seemingly a hundred times today, and noticed how they loved to romp in the snow.  They were fun to watch, and I got to thinking that I really need to take advantage of our Blizzard of 2011--the second huge one this week.

I decided that we will take some Graduation pictures tomorrow in the snow.  I love to take graduation pictures of Senior High School students, and who could ever be a better subject than my own Senior High School student, Bethany?  By the time I had decided to do so, it was almost dusk, so we agreed that after church tomorrow, it's outside in her bright pink dress, without a coat, to take some pictures. Yes, unexpected can be good.  I can't wait.  Bethany's very blonde hair against the backdrop of the crystal white snow, with thick icicles everywhere. Gorgeous!

Here's hoping that you will be able to enjoy the unexpected in our everyday lives-that you'll be able to 'go with the flow,'-that you'll remember to make lemonade from that bag of lemons, and then share it all.  I hope that you are able to spend tomorrow at church, preferably in warm weather, with someone you love, and revel in the unexpected.