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Lessons from the Slopes of Norman
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Written by Mitch Randall
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Tuesday, 02 February 2010
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 Is there anything better for a young student than a Snow Day? The idea of not going to school, sleeping in after the alarm goes off, dragging yourself out of bed to watch some television, and occasionally harvesting your Farmville crops on Facebook place a smile on any kid’s face. However, the only thing better than a steady stream of Cartoon Network and Mario Bothers on Wii might be the slopes of Norman, Oklahoma. Now, granted, they are not actually slopes but rather an embankment on the side of I-35. However, to my boys and the other thousand of kids in Norman who were with us, it might as well have been the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
Just after the last snowflake fell last week, thousands (OK, maybe not
thousands but certainly hundreds) descended onto the embankments of
I-35 and Tecumseh Road. They brought with them plastic sleds, old
school sleds, cardboard boxes, and in one case a cafeteria tray to
speed down snow-covered hills like a Baptist preacher heading to a
buffet line. Up and down the hills, boys and girls of all ages were
zipping and zagging having the time of their lives. Laughs and giggles
echoed off the snow, as the sound of pure joy came bounding down those
hills. Even when there was the occasional wipeout, children would
brush the snow off their faces and keep on going. The enjoyment of the
moment was too much just to stop.
As I stood there with some friends watching our boys zoom down the
hills with smiles plastered on their faces, I could not help but think
this must be what God wants for all his children. Life brings
challenges, snow covered hills, bumps along the way, and even a crash
or two, but in the end there remains the triumph of the journey. There
is no doubt life can be difficult at times, but God offers a life
filled with discovery and wonderment as well. And in the end, when we
make it down that hill we will find loving parents waiting for us to
offer a congratulatory word and a warm embrace. So polish off your sleds
and head out to the slopes, you might just find life out there on those
hills.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 February 2010 )
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