A Reminder

Snow is beautiful. It is clean. It is sparkly. Who doesn't like it? Usually, here in Virginia, we don't get an overload of snow very often, but this year was different. 4 to 6 inches was the estimate. 18 to 19 inches was the actuality. Of course everyone was excited - the college closed for the first time in years which meant we got the day off of home school. Awesome, right? Maybe. The snow was great, but the irony of the situation was somewhat amusing and extremely frustrating. We were living at our grandma's house while our house was being shown. Which meant that all of our snow gear was back at our house. During the deepest snow we have had in years. Funny, right? It wasn't as amusing at the time.

Since that February dump we have had a few more dustings of snow and even a couple of inches. Why is it that the year I'm finally eager for soccer season to start is the year that we get lots of late snow? And yet, I still can't help but be in awe when I look out the window and see the unbroken layer of white the morning after it falls. It's wonderful and it reminds me of just how beautiful God's creation really is. And the truth is, it's gorgeous.

-Buttercup

Home?

Moving. Plenty of people have done it right? My mom moved every two or three years when she was a kid and we're doing the same now. She always says "This is the last house - for real this time!" but it never is. I've moved approximately six times in my 13 years of life. I'm in the middle of number seven. So why is it still so hard? We're not moving far, just 20 minutes away. We'll still go to the same church, same soccer team, same Youth Group. This should be cake!

As I walk through our near empty house, I finally appreciate the comfort of the bedroom I share with my sister, the familiarity of the kitchen, the work that went into the tree house. Why is it that I am just now noticing these things? They've been here for a while, but not until I have to leave them do I see the little things.

I resolve in my mind to not get comfortable in the new house. To never think of it as home. I get discouraged and down. I stay this way.

Then, one day, I am reading a passage in John where Jesus tells His disciples that he is going to prepare a place for them. That is when it dawns on me. I'm not home for good - not yet. But while I'm here on earth, it doesn't matter what kind of house I live in or if it's 10 minutes further from church than I'm used to. What really matters is who's there with me. No matter how much I dislike the house. As long as my family and friends are within reach then it's home. Just for now though . . .

-Buttercup