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The Way to Make a Snowman

We had a snowstorm last weekend. Not a blizzard, but more of an inch-thin layer. When my five-year-old woke up and saw the snow, she was delighted. “I can make a snowman today!”

I didn’t want to see her disappointed, so I explained to her that it wasn’t very cold and that we had things to do and that the snow would probably be gone in just a few hours.

We got home from church mid-afternoon, and there was no snow left on the lawn. I brought the baby inside and started the process of getting everyone back into comfy clothes and fed (definitely in that order.) But when I turned my attention to my daughter, I couldn’t find her.

When I looked in the back yard, I found that my little girl had made not one, but five (tiny) snowmen. She had gathered all the snow from between the rocks and the base of the south fence. I thought they were so cute that I texted a picture of the six of them (snowmen plus daughter) to my mom, saying, “I bet you didn’t think we had enough snow to make five snowmen!” She texted me right back, saying,

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And I know somebody with a will!”

I want to write this week. I want to draft two chapters of my work-in-progress. And while I am tempted to tell myself that there’s no way I’ll have time, that the week will be gone before I have a chance to sit down and write, I need to recognize that what is lacking may be the will rather than the way.

So this week, I will gather those few free moments that I have and make the very most of them before they melt away.

(Originally published April 17, 2012)

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