Winter Family Fun
Refreshing or Revolting?
Do you dread the cold and snow of winter or are you someone, like me, who loves snow? Growing up in Michigan, I played ice hockey. Some of the ice rinks that we played in were pretty darn cold. Players feet were numbed in their skates and the ‘fans’ (AKA parents and other family members who were dragged to the rink to cheer us on) were bundled up in heavy coats, hats and gloves, sitting on cold bleachers while sipping coffee or hot chocolate. No matter how cold the arena was, my teammates and I were sweating as we skated up and down the ice. I loved pretty much everything about hockey, but my favorite part (besides winning) was the feeling of crisp air in my lungs and the pumping of my heart in my chest.
All these years later, filling my lungs with winter air refreshes me. As I write this, the sunny is shining, there is snow on the ground, and working inside is proving to be a challenge. I’m being ‘called’ outside!
As an adult, I loved bundling up the kids and going outside to play together in the snow. We built snow forts, snowmen, had snowball fights, went sledding. One year we had a snowboard ramp in the front yard and an ice rink in the back. My husband and I also spent many cold times on frozen metal bleachers watching our son’s hockey games.
Like it or not …
Whether you like it or not, the cold and snow will come to New England. Since we’re not bears, we cannot hibernatae. Sometimes we end up inside for too long avoiding the cold, and become restless. Kids and adults need to expend energy and what could be more fun than being active together?
Here’s a small list of outdoor and indoor family time fun – because time we spend together with our kids is always time well-spent!
Perhaps you’ll learn to embrace my favorite word, ‘friluftsliv’. This is the valuable act of regularly spending time outdoors (winter, spring, summer, and fall). This Norwegian concept literally means open air living. It’s basically a call for people to get outside and enjoy nature – consistently.
Get outside together! Fill your lungs with cool, crisp air, sweat a bit despite the cold, and enjoy God’s creation. That’s where I am heading right now!
Through him all things were made;
JOHN 1:3
without him nothing was made that has been made.
Peggy Kelly
Family Ministry Director
cccbillerica.org