Meditations in the Cold

You'll notice the title doesn't say "Meditations on the cold." Though it could. As I write from the warmth of my house, I only need look out the front window behind me at the winter wonderland or bleak frozen tundra (depending on one's perspective on cold and snow), to be reminded that here in the Midwest we are very much "in the cold." All our church services were canceled today due to the weather and poor road conditions, so here I am all dressed up with no place to go. Ok, so I'm not dressed up. But I do have a few miscellaneous thoughts

• It is really cold. It actually topped out at 32° today but the forecasted high for tomorrow is 2° with a low of -17°. If you're from North Dakota, that might not sound so bad, but for us, it's cold. Add in the wind and it's worse; wind chills as low as -40° expected Monday night/Tuesday morning. And we had a few ,more inches of snow this morning.  
  
• God is sovereign over the weather. Job 37:6a "For to the snow he says, 'Fall on the earth.'" Psalm 147:16-17 "He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold?"  Glad the temperature of the earth is in the hands of God.
• I'm thankful for the wonder of technology. Of course technology can be used for good or ill, but this morning I attended the Reformed Baptist Church of Louisville. From my living room in Warsaw, IN. It was a kindness from God; prepared to feed a flock here and I got to be fed by another faithful shepherd. Thanks, Pastor Jim!
• I'm also thankful for kindhearted servants. The workers of our city and county and state who drive snowplows come to mind. Whether expressions of common grace or some of them perhaps recipients of God's special saving grace, these men faithfully dig out my town and make it possible for us to get to the store or work or school or church (with some exceptions, but that's not really their fault).  It doesn't matter if it's 2:00am or 2:00pm.  They work in unpleasant conditions for our good.
• Watching my children grow up makes my heart sing. This morning I went out to shovel snow and my oldest son came with me. He probably cut my shoveling time in half. And he was eager to do it. And he just went out with mom to do some more. While #1 and I were out shoveling, #2 was inside making breakfast for himself and #3 and #4.  #s 3 and 4? Well, they're cute, but they couldn't handle the chores that #1 and #2 did today. The growing up, maturation process is fascinating to watch. I realize at some point this renders me obsolete, but isn't the point to get them ready to leave?

So it's been a good day. God is faithful. Genesis 8:22 "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease."