A Frightful and Delightful Winter

In truth, I don't mind shoveling snow, which is good since about 10 inches of frosty flakes blanketed our driveway this week. Besides slinging snow, I also squeezed in some baking. Baking is something I love to do, but I often lack the requisite time and open kitchen counter tops to pursue it.

Outside the kitchen, I was thankful to unearth some timely treasures while my kids and I stayed snug in our snow-wrapped house. White Snow, Bright Snow we found and read yesterday. Earlier in the week I was excavating our coat closet and came upon our long lost Snowy Day video. I love experiencing these classic tales with my children.

Since the roads were not favorable to bustling around town, we had no excuse not to decorate our Christmas tree. Thankfully, we had done our ornament shopping before the worst weather hit. After we exchanged ornaments, I realized that this tradition is something my children remember more than whatever gifts they find under the tree. And the credit for this goes to my husband, who years ago prioritized building family memories over my wishes for a picture-perfect decorator's tree.

Reading Dawn's insights about wishing things were over reminded me of how I view winter. Months before the cold and snow were upon us, I began to dread what winter brings---the bundling, the sock hunting, the coughs and head colds, and having to stay home from church and other social gatherings with sick kids.

But now that "what I feared has come upon me"(Job 3:25), I realize that the dread is often worse than the reality. I find this to be true with housework that I dread and therefore postpone doing as well. When I finally get some momentum going, the mundane tasks are not so bad. It's the dread and guilt that are truly miserable. I'd love to take more of a get-it-out-of-the-way approach and stop procrastinating...some day.

And how about you? Do you procrastinate like me or a do you tackle your tasks right away?