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The Grand Slam Snowball Fight

Donna Kauffman

It was pushing spring after the long icy winter months in northern Ontario. We missionary parents sent our children to school one morning and then headed to a planning meeting for the day. For some reason, school was cancelled that day, but these missionary kids were of a comfortable age to care for themselves and their younger siblings.

It seems the young folks that lived on the south side of the lake chatted with the ones on the north side and made plans to get together for some fun. Snow machines were revved up and raced across the lake. The snow packed great, and the fun began. Forts were built, and snowballs began flying. This activity was taking place at our house, someone happened to go in through the kitchen door for some reason, and snowballs followed. This created even greater enthusiasm.

About this time, our meeting adjourned, and we parents headed home. As we drove into the drive, snowballs appeared to stop in midair, and missionary kids scattered. What a sight as I came through the kitchen door! Dotted around the room were girls soaking wet from head to toe. The kitchen floor was under what seemed like an inch of melted snowballs, with clumps of leftover balls continuing to add more liquid to the enormous puddle. Carla, our eldest daughter stood there looking somewhat uncomfortable and unsure of what my response might be, her outer clothes dripping and strands of hair hanging in wet ringlets around her youthful, fun-filled face.

Our response was to marvel with delight at the good-natured fun this day had brought. The kitchen floor cleaned up rapidly, drenched children and clothing were quickly dried, and barrels of joyful chatter spilled into each of our homes throughout the evening. The memory lingers in the hearts of these youth, now responsible adults and parents, who took literally the encouragement of Psalm 118:24: “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Donna Kauffman now lives in West Farmington, Ohio.

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Last modified June 5, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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