Snowed In

Happy Sunday, friends.  We woke up this morning in Southwest Ohio to what my husband called “Frozen, like for real”!  It was a regular winter majesty.  Like Queen Elsa, herself showed up and turned our bland country landscape into an icy wonderland.  There was approximately four to five inches of fresh, powdery snow, about a quarter of an inch of ice on the trees, and the most glorious mid-winter sunshine I have ever seen.  It was absolutely stunning and a reminder of God’s power.

The sight was beautiful, but I’m not really a winter person.  I have always had a hard time with the winter months (which can be October through April around here) and the cold, cold weather we can get in Ohio. Winter can be brutal, my friends.  However, getting snowed in this weekend was a blessing in disguise and helped me re-define a part of my life that I had been missing for a while.  Today, as I drank my coffee and sat around wondering, what should I do today? I found the answer while I was scrolling through Facebook. I came across a friend’s church, who I had often been invited to, but never found the time to attend.  Well this morning, that changed.

Hopeland Church is a small congregation, attended by non-denominational believers in God and Jesus Christ, who are all about spreading His word.  I was born and raised as a Roman Catholic, but I believe that worship is worship.  As long as you are channeling your faith in some way and renewing your vow to the Lord, Jesus, then you do you, friend.  If that means a personal worship session with you and God, go for it.  If you want to head to the mega-church down the street, hop to it sister.  Or if you just need a reminder of why you’re here and the love God has for you in a small, traditional Catholic church like mine, then praise Mary, Mother of God.

For me, I have had a hard time getting to church lately and for a lot of different reasons.  One reason that is difficult for me to overcome, is my lack of time and creating a commitment to attending church every Sunday.  I know this doesn’t sound like a good enough reason for someone who claims faith is important to her, but it has been hard.  For many months, I have found myself waking up early on Sunday morning with full intentions of attending church, and then before I know it, I’ve let three hours pass by, completing homework or just not motivating myself to attend.  But today, my friends, I didn’t have an excuse not to attend church, because Hopeland brought church to me.  I attended Hopeland’s “Snowed In” church service from the comfort of my home this morning, with a full cup of coffee and a full heart.  It was really nice to hear the music, worship, and hear God’s word for the first time in a long time.  It renewed my sense of faith and wonder in God and helped remind me what is important in my life.

Sometimes it takes a lot to understand what is bothering us, why we feel low, or depressed.  Especially in these winter months, I have to be reminded more often about the things in my life I should be most thankful for.  It’s not always as easy as taking care of ourselves externally but also taking the time to reflect internally as well.  This can mean different things to different people.  For me, it means having a conversation with God.  It also means having a conversation with myself.  Remembering what is important, why it is important, and what I need to do to keep those things in the forefront of my mind.  I know not everyone is intrinsically motivated by faith or God and that is okay.  You have to find what is important to you and remind yourself why often.  Don’t let that thing slip into the background or take a back seat to other things in your life that aren’t as important.  Remember from the last post how I discussed self-love?  Well this, my friends, is all part of that change.  This journey we are on, our lives, they are important.  Don’t let the big things that help you navigate this journey fall away, or you will find yourself lost.

So for those of you who may be having a tough time right now in these long winter months, it’s okay.  Maybe you lost your way and are trying to remember what is important to you, what navigates you on your journey.  Maybe you just need to be “snowed in” to be reminded.