1) Life is Full of Surprises!
When you wake up, scuttle to peak out the window, in search of a dusting of snow, only to find four inches of snow on March 21st….Now that is a sweet surprise. (If you love snow like I do!) Life is full of surprises; receiving a note of encouragement from a friend, your kids completing a chore without being asked or someone generously giving you a referral. These are all sweet surprises.
2) Sometimes Life is Messy.
Sometimes a snowman is rolled up in huge, perfect snowballs and other times they are just plain messy. In my own life, perfect is few and far between. I tend to live in messy. But that is okay. Messy gives you an opportunity to depend on the Lord. Messy gives you the opportunity to grow and learn new things. Messy gives you a testimony that may help others when they are going through their own hard stuff.
3) Too Much Sun is Not Good For You.
When the sun shines down on your snowman it makes the snow sparkle like a diamond, but too much sun results in a puddle. Like any pleasure, moderation is the key, whether you are playing in the sun on the beach, or eating your favorite ice cream. Go ahead and indulge….enjoy life… but just make sure you have balance.
4) It is the Simple Things in Life Which Bring Joy!
Whether it is the adorable face of a snowman smiling broadly, or taking a walk with your girlfriends, or playing a video game with your kids (like my favorite retro game…Pac Man),or diffusing your favorite essential oil (mine is Christmas Spirit). Make sure you enjoy the simple things!
5) Accessories Make the Outfit!
You can roll three of the same size snowballs to build your creation, and still end up with a totally different snowman based on the accessories you use. Hat? Carrot nose? Scarf? Button eyes? It is the same way with us. What do you adorn your life with? Family? Friends? Business? Volunteering?
6) You Are Only As Strong As Your Foundation
Have you even seen a snowman built with the smallest snowball on the bottom? Of course not! From the bottom up you build the snowman so he’ll have a firm foundation. It is the same with us. Everybody has the same 24 hours a day, so we need to make sure you put your big rocks in first. Have you ever tried to fill an empty jar with rocks, pebbles and sand? The only way to do it and make it all fit, is to place the biggest rocks in first, then the pebbles and lastly to fill it in with sand. In the same way you need to prioritize the important things in your life; faith, family, friends ect… Build your life on a firm foundation. I like to build mine on God’s Word. It brings me peace and helps me to love others.
7) Wet Snow Works Best!
Wet snow works best for successfully building a snowman. With wet snow you can roll up a pretty good-sized snowman in a very short period of time, but it also tends to pick grass, dirt, leaves and sticks from the ground underneath. We live in a fast food world. We want to build strong relationships with our spouse or significant other, create a healthy body through exercise and food choices, teach our kids Chemistry and Algebra, and grow a successful business, but we want to do it all with lightning speed. The problem with that is that the faster you build-the more debris you pick up along the way. Slow and steady gets the worm. Anything thing worth doing, is worth investing the precious gift of time.
8) The Snow is Always Snowier on the Other Side.
A snowman doesn’t get to decide where he is built. Sometimes Alaska looks much more appealing to a snowman than say…Minnesota. It is the same with us. Comparison is the enemy of success. If you look around you will always find someone who is prettier, who has smarter kids, or who moves up the ladder of success quicker than you. Don’t compare. Stand where you are built and be content with your life.
9) Nothing Lasts Forever.
Of course, the saddest part of building a snowman, is saying goodbye when he melts. Have you ever watched Frosty the Snowman? I cried a thousand tears as a child. Life moves quickly, so it is important to live in the moment and be present. In my daughter’s favorite movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ferris profoundly proclaims, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Seriously, we all know what it means to be present. Lay the cell phone down, and come out with your hands up!! Engage in the lives of others; talk, laugh, encourage, pray, listen and be a wife, be a mom, be a daughter, be a friend.
10) We Are a Work in Progress.
The creative artist who builds the snowman, determines who he will be. Will he be serious? Will he have a pipe and a scarf? Will she wear a big floppy sun hat? Will he have a carrot for a nose? Will he have buttons for eyes? Or coal for eyes and buttons for his midsection? We are constantly growing and changing. Who you were a decade ago, four years ago, or even six months ago doesn’t identify who you are today. Our choices and decisions; both good and bad don’t define us. Our family doesn’t define us. Our education doesn’t define us. Our success doesn’t define us. Our failures don’t even define us. If we let Him, God will mold us into the man or woman He desires us to be. The Bible tells us that He who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it. I don’t know about you, but that sure encourages me!
Taking Back Happy 