When the Roads Freeze, Hearts Thaw

 Every so often, Texas gets quiet. The roads ice over, plans pause, and the usual rush slows to a gentle crawl. And in that stillness, something beautiful happens.

Moms bundle up and head outside with their kids. Makeshift sleds appear, laundry baskets, pool floats, even cardboard boxes, tied behind pickup trucks and pulled through the neighborhood with laughter trailing behind. The air is cold, but the joy is warm.

It’s a rare kind of day. One where time bends a little, and families find themselves together in ways they hadn’t planned. No schedules. No errands. Just tiny snowflakes on top of iced covered land providing different kinds of activities.

We may only see ice or snow once a year, but when we do, it reminds us to slow down. To enjoy the moment, to be present with the people we love.

It’s a  gentle nudge to pause, to gather, to remember what matters most.  In the laughter, we feel the joy God intended for families. And in the unexpected pause, we find a sacred kind of rest.

Maybe that’s the real gift of a frozen road.