What Have You Done, Phil?!

So Groundhog’s Day was yesterday (Feb. 2nd) and I can only assume what Phil predicted according to our weather in the past 3 days.  It doesn’t take a genius or a groundhog to tell me that we are in for a long winter. 
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I can’t get mad at Phil right?  I mean, this is kinda typical Central PA weather right.  At least once a year, since I have lived here we get one big snowy storm.  It just means I get exercise outside.  It also means I am constantly telling the snowplows (in my mind) “don’t cover up my drive way (ain’t their fault either)!”  But winter has finally hit the northeast region after having a somewhat mild winter prior to our snow storm.

So what does that mean?  Is the long winter metaphorical for something else?  Not too sure.  I don’t like to think that a longer winter is going to mean I have to feel gloomy.  It just means I can take really cool pictures of the kids playing in the snow.  Well Norah loves the snow.  Ben doesn’t like being in snow, but likes looking at it.  So I get a bunch of pictures of Norah happy and Ben crying.  Longer winter means more chili to munch on and hot chocolate to give to the kids.  Longer winter means I have to wait to catch big largemouth bass, but the great trade off is watching TV shows with my wife, picking on the days we can just binge watch.  Longer winters means I have an excuse to leave my Christmas lights on outside and not hassling to take them down so quickly.  Longer winters means more time in front of the fireplace.  Longer winters means I can easily convince my kids to go to bed at 6:00pm, because, “Look!  It’s dark outside, which means it’s very late at night, time to go to bed!”  Kid’s sleeping early, which means more time to myself and more time binging TV shows with Eunkyung.  Longer winters means finding more excuses not updating the church bulletin board outside that still says “Merry Christmas.”  Yeah, that board is going to get changed… I’m just waiting for the snow to stop coming down… Really… it’s going to be different this week.  Longer winter just means more time for Phil to sleep… I think (they hibernate right?).

I think it is always important that we look at the bright side of life when we feel down.  Spring will get here, we just have to wait, so relax, and start thinking about all the good things we can do with a longer winter.  God has always taught us to be patient and wait, and usually through patience we really appreciate what is to come.  I mean the Israelites wandered the wilderness for 40 years before coming into Canaan (God’s promised land for them).  I don’t think God is going to let winter go on for 40 years, so that’s good for us!  Be optimistic in all circumstances of life.  Keep your head up and even in those times you feel down and stuck in darkness, force yourself to think about something good.  And if you can’t think about what is good, write it out.
Writing about your feelings and then make a list of things that you can look forward to, like make a list of goals.  Writing your goals that you want to accomplish means you have to work towards it and those goals may not happen immediately.  But focus on the goals you want to accomplish during a longer winter, and be patient, and by that time while working on your list, Spring will be here.  Birds will be making a nest on your porch, flowers will bloom, trees will give life, and the sun will be up longer during the day.