A few years ago, when I was living in Victoria, we had one of those rare West-Coast snowfalls.

I was rushing, as is my habit, to get to a meeting at the church. Each day, I would drive through Mount Doug Park and I knew that I could do door to door, from my home to the church, in seven minutes if the one traffic light was green. Here I was, slightly speeding through the park when I was stopped in my tracks. Due to the weight of the snow, an ancient tree had fallen and was blocking the road. The crews were out cutting a path through the wide trunk, but it was going to take some time. I was caught in a long line of traffic.

Was I to attempt to turn around, or just sit and wait it out? Of course I had pulled up too close to the car in front and the car behind me had done the same and I was wedged in. There was nothing I could do. Out came the cell phone and after a few calls to say I would be late, I pulled out a book and started to read.

I was forced to do something that was different, out of my normal routine. Something I hadn’t planned on. I found it relaxing to sit there in the car, surrounded by snow-covered trees, knowing I couldn’t go anywhere. It was a surprising blessing.

Do you ever stop and take a look around you and see if there are any surprising blessings going on in your life?

Perhaps someone has asked you what you are doing for Lent? Quite often we think of Lent as giving up something. Something such as chocolate!

However I’m wondering if Lent, rather than being seen as a time of denial, should be seen as a time of taking on something, of adding something to our usual daily routine. I like to see Lent as a time of doing something to deepen my relationship with God. This year, in the midst of COVID, as we feel that we are being denied much in life, perhaps it is an opportunity for us to take a pause, a breath in normal life and to reflect upon the blessings that we do have in our lives at this time.