Don’t be afraid to let it show
CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON
“The New Year lies before you like a spotless track of snow. Be
careful how you tread on it, for every mark will show.”
-- UNKNOWN
“What the New Year brings us will depend a great deal on what we
bring the New Year.”
-- UNKNOWN
I love children, I love snow and I love new beginnings. We are in
a new year, but I learned some things from the ending of last year
that I hope to practice more in 2004.
One day, I passed a little boy walking next to his mother’s
shopping cart in the market. The cart was filled with food, as well
as a cute little girl who giggled while her brother sang. I heard
part of one song, and while the tune was correct, the words weren’t
what we typically sing, but they worked, and they made everyone
around smile.
“Let it show, let it show, let is show,” he sang.
“You’re right honey,” his mother said, “Let it show and let the
snow show too, it feels like it could snow today.”
The little boy was already onto another song before I went to the
next aisle, but I appreciated seeing his joy show, no matter what he
sang.
Once outside, there was snow showing and shining on the mountains
beneath a piercing blue sky. It was as if God had painted a
masterpiece in every direction I looked, and I stopped and marveled
at God’s creativity.
I talked about snow later with a friend who had recently gone
skiing.
“The snow was beautiful, it was so fresh and clean, like a new
year,” she said. “I didn’t make any resolutions, but I decided that
one goal is to pray before I say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to any new commitment
or project, no matter how great it sounds at first. Then I have to
run my thoughts past someone who knows how busy my life is before I
agree to anything.”
I told her that was a great idea and one that I try as well
because I can easily rush into decisions without thinking about
ramifications. Once I agreed to speak at a retreat without praying
about it or discussing it at length with my husband, Jon. I didn’t
feel an inner peace about it, especially when I realized my schedule
was already too full. I’d never canceled something before but I
sensed that God wanted me to. After agonizing about it, I finally
called the retreat organizer and was honest about my situation.
“Thank you, Cindy,” she said. “The timing wasn’t working out for
us either, but I didn’t want to call and cancel.”
I returned to that market recently, and the holiday music has been
replaced with other tunes, but children still sang up and down the
aisles. I later drove around town and admired the churning ocean in
one direction, the changing clouds overhead and the snow on the
mountains. I haven’t been to the snow yet this year, but I have
thought about what I want to bring to this new year, and my desire to
be more purposeful and prayerful in the days and months ahead.
One of my goals is to spend more time with God, and I pray that
there will be a positive difference in my life that will show like
tracks in the snow.
And you can quote me on that.
* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks
frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at
cindy@onthegrow.com or through the mail at 537 Newport Center Drive,
Suite 505, Newport Beach, CA 92660.
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