I
AM SNOW TIRED
So, we just had one of the heaviest snow storms in the
past 30 years. A record breaker.
Probably like me, you’ve shoveled more than your share of snow. I can now do it in my sleep, only to wake up
to more inches of the white stuff.
Snow used to be this amazing magical thing
that happened every year when you were a kid. It was synonymous with awesome.
Imagine having a playground fall from the sky for you to play in. You
could build a snowman, igloos and forts. You had unlimited ammunition for the
inevitable wars that would break out, and for some reason you used to have a
much higher tolerance for the cold weather.
But now I’m an adult and I feel betrayed by the snow. How could something that brought me
so much joy as a child, be so annoying to deal with today? These days, I find
myself thinking that snow is just a burden. Think about it, snow means:
Dangerous roads and nervous drivers.
Slipping on the sidewalk.
Shoveling.
Scraping car windows.
Ruining the bottom of your pants.
Shoveling.
Forcing you to move your car from one side of the street
to the other for a snow plow that never shows up.
Losing your parking spot to a pile of snow.
Looking stupid in a big puffy jacket.
Having to leave your amazing shoes at home and shuffling
around in ugly boots.
Having a runny nose.
Hat hair.
The fog in your glasses when you come back indoors.
Shoveling.
Never knowing if your windshield wipers are going to clean
your window or turn into an icicle.
The way your hand smells after it’s been in a glove too
long.
Talk about freezing and storms…On 31 July 2003,
the adventurer Bear Grylls led a team of five across the North Atlantic Ocean
in an inflatable rigid dinghy. They set out from Halifax, Nova Scotia, heading
for John o’ Groats, Scotland. On 5 August, a great storm arose. There were
100-foot waves. They lost satellite contact. They feared for their lives.
Thankfully they survived to tell the tale. You can read about this life
threatening event at Facing the Frozen Ocean by Bear Grylls.
Here’s the great news: Not all of us will
have to face physical storms of this kind. But Jesus said that we would
all face the storms of life (Matthew 7:25–27). Life is not easy. The storms of
life are many and varied. As we see in a variety of Biblical passages, Abraham,
David and Jesus’ disciples all faced storms in their lives. What can we learn
from their example?
1. Take up the shield of faith - Psalm 7:10-17
“My shield is God Most High, who
saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his
wrath every day. If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword; he will bend
and string his bow. He has prepared his deadly weapons; he makes ready his
flaming arrows. Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth
to disillusionment. Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit
they have made. The trouble they cause recoils on them; their
violence comes down on their own heads. I will give thanks to the Lord because
of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most
High.”
2. Put your trust in Jesus – He’s
been there and faced it. He has the
power to calm any storm.
3. Thank God for His provision – I’ve
got heat at my house. I had some food to eat. I own a snow shovel. I had the physical ability to shovel snow –
lots of it. I had a warm coat and a pair
of gloves. I had a hot beverage waiting
for me in the house. God provides. Be thankful that we never face the storm
alone.
Here’s to great shoveling.
I can’t wait to see you this Sunday.
We’re back to our regular schedule.
BY THE WAY – We have the absolute best team and volunteers who
clean the sidewalks and parking lots so that we can have easy access to enter
the Church. A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO ALL
WHO MAKE A WAY THROUGH THE SNOW!
Loving You and Loving Him,
Pastor D
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