Snow Day

Jude 20–23

[20] But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, [21] keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. [22] And have mercy on those who doubt; [23] save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. (ESV)

It’s a snow day today! Yay! Oh, wait. That means the five other peeps in my house will be home. All day.

It’s okay, I reason. I'll just work away as usual.

Until the phone rings with an automated message: Your child has been marked absent.

I am new to this concept of a snow day not really being a snow day. Virtual learning was not a thing when my sons were in high school.

I catch one of the teens as she pours a splash of coffee into her vanilla creamer. Yes, she has diligently logged on to her first two classes as required, and she awoke her brother, but he said he “didn’t really need to log on.”

I am familiar with teen boys, so a tinge of guilt hits me for not making sure he was really awake for the first class. I certainly would have for my sons ten years ago. Actually, I would have been a nervous wreck, constantly checking their Chrome Books and probably even listening in on their virtual classes, if that were a thing back then.

Figure it out, Anne.

Things are different now. These teens have only lived here for three years since their mother passed away and my husband and I took on Legal Guardianship. They were raised differently.

I, too, am different as a parent now. I am no longer afraid of the school. I’ve taught students long enough myself to know the teachers have enough to deal with besides my absentmindedness. And I am becoming aware that different circumstances require different actions.

So here is my plan:

I will make a big breakfast. It’s late enough to be brunch. My older sons will enjoy it - I don’t usually cook for them during the day. The teens will be well-fed. My husband and I will get a novelty breakfast/lunch instead of the weekday quick fix standard.

I bake two pounds of bacon on halfsheets, pouring some of the leftover grease into the pan for hash browns, some in a smaller pan for the scrambled eggs, and the rest in the fridge for when we run out of fresh butter.

As the bacon crisps up in the warm oven, I take the eggs off their heat before they are done so they don't bake or burn, yet I keep the potatoes hot longer than I’m comfortable with so they actually brown.

And that’s when I remember. Different circumstances call for different actions.

He is a teen boy, and I can excuse him for not easily being awoken on a snow day. My sons had that trouble every day. I can show him some mercy there. But he needs to learn lessons now, when the consequences are low. I see that as snatching him out of the fire later. I ask him directly, “Did you oversleep or choose not to log on?” A mix of both, he replies. I state calmly: I will excuse you for the first period, but you will be held accountable by the school for any other missed log-ons today. He seems happy with this logic.

I brush away the judgmental comments from others, the two extremes: He’s just a boy! or Why excuse him at all?

The point is to stay in the love of the Lord. I remember that we’re all safe in a snowstorm, warm and well-fed, and I don’t need to complicate any of this.