Spin Cycle

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

Our first snow arrived this morning. Oh sure, a few miniscule flakes fell yesterday afternoon, but today it is visible to the naked eye. We’re projected to get an inch or two, but even that is more than enough for me. I am a winter weather hater.

One of my earliest memories of winter weather was in first grade, I do believe. I had stayed the night at my Nanna’s house and my mom had to come and get me for school. It was icy out and why we were still having school, I don’t know. On the way past the cemetery on our way to school, our car began to spin.

Now I’m not talking like turned sideways and then we went on our merry way. I’m talking like spun around and around and around for what seemed like forever. I was in the front seat of our Toyota Corolla and I remember my mom telling me to put my seatbelt on. I was screaming, scratching at the dashboard like a cat in a tornado, but I managed to get my seatbelt on. I remember my mom taking the car out of gear (it was a standard) and turning off the engine.

And then, we came to an abrupt stop. We’d spun completely across four lanes of the conjoined highway and came to rest in the opposite ditch about a foot from a telephone pole. No harm done. But, as icy as it was, it was not safe to make a left-hand turn out of the ditch and across another couple of lanes of traffic, so we had to make a right-hand turn and go down and turn around, and cover the same stretch of road we’d just spun out of control on. I was totally freaked out!

This time, however, my mother traveled at a much slower speed and we made it through the Death Pass. I vowed then and there to never drive on ice, or snow, or in cold weather, etc.

Years later, when I worked for the government, I just happened to leave a bank a little too late in winter weather. I had to travel 53 miles to get home on nothing but packed snow, hilly lake roads, and freezing rain turning into glare ice. It was white knuckles all the way home that day, with several near misses, but the miracle of it all was I MADE IT! I kissed my kitchen floor when I fell from exhaustion into the house.

In all my years, I’d always assumed that if I were stranded somewhere in the winter weather, I would just pull over and die on the side of the road. But, I MADE IT. And now, each winter, when I’m faced with taking the kids to school (although they are much more likely to call off school now than back in my day, I’m convinced), or going to the store, or taking the kids to the local park to sled, I have the fact that I once made it 53 miles without dying in much worse conditions than I’m normally currently looking at.

And so, I suck it up, and put on my coveralls, my sock hat, and my snow boots, and I go wherever needs to be gotten to. Yes, you may see me going well below the posted speed limit on the highway. Yes, you may need to pass me. Yes, I may drive like an old lady.

But remember: I’m trying not to ruin it for my children.

“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 23:15