As I arrived in the office today my car temperature read -6 degrees. It was cold whatever your thermometer read this morning, wherever you are. This polar vortex winter weather has pressed lower and lower into the South. Houston got 3 inches of snow and New Orleans had 8 inches of snow. Atlanta had ice mishaps all over their freeways and roadways; vehicles of all kinds, sliding off. Snow ball fights on Bourbon Street in New Orleans broke out on social media. Alabama, Florida, and the Carolinas coastline saw snow falling on sandy beaches.
If that is not odd and wintry enough, just go North. Real time temperatures were -45 degrees in some places. This will be the January (2025) everyone is ready to be over. I can remember these kind of winter conditions when I was a kid. This is not the first time extreme cold, ice and snow have stayed on the ground for weeks. 50 years ago there wasn’t any snow removal department for most city or county roads. You were on your own to shovel your way to the main road.
These days as frigid weather and brutal temperatures drop to record lows there are more resources and support than ever. I am grateful for every person running a snow plow and salting roads. I appreciate every utility workman who is making sure we have heat and water. Whenever the power goes out or the road is closed today, service crews arrive quickly as possible to get services restored.
Maybe we should say, diggity-dog-dandy. Today we have many more layers of protection and recovery from extreme weather elements. This morning I am layered up for below zero temps. I have on my T-shirt, long sleeve shirt, Patagonia long johns, top and bottom, with a long sleeve fleece, and an insulated vest I got for Christmas. In addition my outer coat has a liner and a hood with gloves in the pockets. I was prepared for freezing temps as I walked out the door this morning. Warmer days ahead. Spring arrives in less than 60 days.
Weather can be very discouraging. Sure glad we have help. In a similar way we can protect ourselves, staying layered up, so to speak, whenever hardships of any kind appear. Disappointment in life takes the heat and warmth right out of our soul. Our hearts become cold and unresponsive when relationships struggle and people suffer.
What might we do? Give this a try. We’re in a series titled Joy-FULL from Philippians in the Bible. We have learned in Ch1 that God helps us keep our chin up, whatever the circumstance. In Ch2 we learned that God fixes our brain; changing our thinking. In Ch3, we will discuss believing God is bigger than problems which misdirect our joy. Putting all this together is like learning to layer up for a wild weather week.
If this seems relevant and helpful, join us this weekend at Journey Church Cynthiana for some positivity. Let’s kick cold winter temps to the curb. I promise we’ll turn the heat up and have the coffee brewed and ready when you arrive.
Keep your chin up! Layer up…
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