Today is the fifth day this week that we have experience sub-zero temperatures.  There are snow drifts in our roads and blowing snow.  It’s not a good time to get out.  It hasn’t been a good time to get out for several days.  While I am normally prone to cabin fever during such times, right now, I am so thankful that I don’t have to worry about slick roads and dangerous temperatures.  Eventually–maybe even in just a few days, the temperatures will warm up a bit and the snow will melt, and I will be able to get around  much easier.  My days and weeks will be busy when school starts back up next week, and the weekends will be crammed with errands and socializing.  I will probably get a little overwhelmed–maybe a little stressed out.  I will think…Wouldn’t it be nice to just have a day or two at home without a bunch of things I had to do?

And, maybe I’ll remember this housebound week in January.  A week of reading, napping, and quiet…time to take long baths, time to bake, time to play with the puppy…time to clean the house without rushing even…This slower paced life will not last forever, but for the time being, I am choosing to see it as a gift– a gift of time, and a gift of relaxation.  There are so many small things that come with the blessing of being at home that I never noticed before–the time to watch all of the news, time to make anything at all for supper, time to exercise to a DVD, time to read.

If you are at home today, whether by choice or chance, I hope you find joy there and are able to create your own pace as you make your rounds in the house.  If you are like me, and sometimes see this blessing of being home, as being stuck, it helps me to make lists of little things I want or need to do each day.  I try to make sure that I am getting at least one thing accomplished that I really need to do (like exercise or balance the bank statement, etc.) and at least one thing that I want to do that will be fun (like read a good book, or try a new recipe).  Of course, I do more than two things in a day, but it helps just to have some priorities set up as you move through the day.   I think one of the pitfalls of being home is that I can take on this attitude of “I’ve got all day” and end up dilly-dallying and not getting as much done because there seems to be so much time.

Enjoy this day and the gifts it offers!