Snow day!

I’ve been dreading today for a long time. It’s parent-teacher conference day. The longest day of the year. I show up at 7 a.m., organize my desk, meet with a couple of parents, then teach until 3. Then I clean up the classroom before meeting with a couple more parents. The evening disappears in a blur of handshakes, test scores, and thank you’s. Sometimes I can squeeze in a sandwich and some chips between appointments. Then, sometime around 9 p.m. if I haven’t run too late, I swing the classroom door shut and head home.

I’m not complaining. Well, not in a grumpy way, at least. I love meeting the parents – they’re the experts on the little ones I spend my days with. They have insights I could never glean from a test or a worksheet. And they often give me new hope and remind me to look at their energetic loved ones in new ways.

But it’s still the longest day of the year.

That’s why I wasn’t complaining at all this morning as I had to shovel what felt like a foot of snow off two cars. Today was, by God’s grace and in my eyes, the perfect day for a snow day.

I will still meet with all of those parents. But not all on the same night – now I’ll get to spread them out over the next couple of weeks. Now I’ll have time to sit with them and chat with them, and not be constantly looking at the clock and mentally getting ready for the next one. It’s kind of like a doctor dealing with a zillion patients in a day. Well kind of – you know, without the whole huge pay check thing.

So now I’m reveling in my snow day and keeping my bargains. Sleep in. Check. Spend extra time with my Bible. Check. Call the mechanic about my car. Check. Work on my paper (which, by the way, isn’t due until Monday). Check. Write my blog. Check. Next I’m even going to spend a little time cleaning (a little time cleaning). Next week, I’m going to spend some time with the parents. And I’m not going to dread it.

After all, “the Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?... For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock… I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:1, 5, and 13.

God is in control. And Life is Good.