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~It’s February, Jessica’s plans for a special day have been shattered,

and it’s time for a lesson in unconditional love.~ 

Jessica Ransford had known that school would be closed today, had known as soon as the predicted snow had begun to fall heavily late the previous evening. Her three children, 7 year old Brianna, 10 year old Caleb, and even 13 year old Maggie, had run from window to window to watch the swirling flakes blanket their lawn. Once she had gotten them all tucked into bed, Jessica had dimmed the lights in the living room, settled into her chair beside the window, and made plans for a fun-filled Snow Day.

The snow had been so beautiful, brightening the neighborhood with a bluish glow. Jessica had imagined a midnight walk, the crunch of snow under foot and the sight of snow-clad roofs, trees, cars, bushes and mailboxes where one would normally see nothing but darkness. She took a deep breath, almost feeling the cold, crisp air tingling in her nose and filling her lungs with coolness. Surely a corner of heaven would feature a peaceful, clean snow scene.

She had gone to bed smiling as she thought of laughter ringing through the air, snowball fights and snow angels, bright red mittens and noses, and steaming mugs of cocoa with marshmallows.

The next morning Jessica prepared a special breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes. Brianna was clambering to help with the stirring and pouring and flipping, getting in the way no matter where Jessica turned. Caleb was racing through the house letting out loud whoops of excitement; from the sound of it, he was jumping over furniture. She tried to ignore her teenage daughter’s voice telling Caleb to shut up and act normal for once. By the time the pancakes were on the table, there was no trace of the smile with which she had begun the morning. For a bunch of kids who wanted to go outside, they sure weren’t helping her to make the day special.

“Thanks a lot for setting the table,” Jessica sarcastically addressed her children. “You knew I was fixing breakfast, but not one of you bothered to get the drinks or the silverware out.”

“I’ll do it!” Caleb shouted, starting to push past his mother to the kitchen.

“Never mind,” Jessica said, grabbing his shoulder. “I’ll do it myself. Sit down.”

After that the kids picked at their breakfast, picked at each other, and worried about the snow melting. They were slow with their chores, but quick with their teasing. Although Jessica had planned to play with them in the snow, her rising frustration gave her a sharp tongue. Lunchtime came and went without anyone setting foot in the snow.

“Maybe you kids can just stare out the window and watch ME play in the snow,” Jessica said angrily as she cleared the remnants of their meal from the table.

“Yeah, THAT would be real fun,” Maggie retorted, as Caleb slid from his seat and ran from the room. “Just let me get my camera.”

“Oh Mama, we get to play outside, too, don’t we? Please, please, pretty please?” Brianna begged anxiously.

“If you wanted to play outside so much, why haven’t you been more helpful today?” Jessica said to her. A thumping noise told her that her son was bouncing a rubber ball off the wall somewhere. Her last nerve was twitching.

“I helped you make breakfast,” Brianna reminded her.

“You think that was helping?” Jessica shot back. “That was playing. I can cook much faster without you in the kitchen. Real help would have been setting the table, but that’s not fun enough for you, is it.”

Tears started to well up in Brianna’s eyes, and Jessica was aware of the accusing look she was receiving from Maggie, but before she could even think of a way to make things right, she heard the sound of shattering glass.

“Caleb! What have you done now?” Jessica ran to the living room, followed by her daughters. Caleb was kneeling in front of the fireplace, staring at something on the ceramic tiles.

Wide-eyed, Caleb looked up. “I’m sorry, Mom. It was an accident.”

Jessica held her breath and moved closer. Caleb’s yellow rubber ball was lying near the pinecone basket, and all over the white tile lay the broken pieces of Jessica’s blown glass heart. It had been a graduation present, the last gift ever received from Grandmother Rose. It had survived numerous moves, only to be shattered by her careless son.

“You know you aren’t allowed to throw things in this room,” Jessica said. “Now look what you’ve done. You’re always breaking my things!” She took a shaky breath, feeling hurt and angry and wanting to retaliate. “Is this my thanks for planning a special day? Do you think we can just glue that heart back together, Caleb? Well, we can’t! You didn’t just break it, you destroyed it!”

Caleb was visibly shaken, trying to gather up the pieces, careless of the danger broken glass presents to bare hands.

“Stop that! Just stop that!” Jessica screamed. “I’ll clean up this mess, just like I clean up all your messes.” Her voice choked. “Just go to your room. I can’t stand the sight of you.”

Caleb blanched, then turned and ran out of the living room. His sobs could be heard down the hall. Brianna began to sniffle, and Maggie pulled her down the hall as well. Jessica’s heart ached, her head throbbed, her eyes stung. Her dream for a beautiful day was as ruined as her keepsake heart.

Down on her knees, picking up the shards of glass in spite of her blurred vision, Jessica cried and poured out her grief to God. Why had this happened? Where had she gone wrong?  The Lord brought to her mind the devotions she had neglected that morning. Then He gently drew her attention to her motives for the day. Was it merely for the children’s happiness that she planned outdoor fun, or had she been anticipating their thanks for being a “cool” mother? Had she made the pancakes to delight her children, or to receive praise as the greatest Mom in the world? Was she focused on giving love, or on receiving love? Was her love conditional, based on how well each child behaved, rather than unconditional?

Oh, what a failure she was. She gazed at the broken glass in her cupped hands, feeling as if it were her living heart that she held in pieces. Then a voice seemed to say, “Don’t worry, my child. I still love you. My love is unconditional; it is yours forever.”

A hand touched Jessica’s shoulder. Startled, she looked up into the tear-stained face of her son.

“Mom,” he said in a small voice, “I’m really sorry I broke your heart. Do you still love me?”

Laying aside the broken glass, Jessica pulled her son into her arms. “Don’t worry, my son, I still love you,” she said. “You may break my heart many times in this life, but I will never stop loving you, just like God never stops loving us, no matter what we do.”

With that, Jessica wiped her eyes, stood up, and smiled. “Okay, everybody,” she called loudly for the benefit of the girls, “who’s ready to play in the snow?”

It turned out to be a fun-filled Snow Day after all! Isn’t God good?

Copyright 2002 by Brenda B. Covert