Last week our city closed down because of the weather. My car wouldn’t start, our pipes were frozen inside the house and we had no recourse but to stay inside and be warm. As usually happens in Minnesota, if you have enough patience, things will generally return to normal – whatever that is.
This week,as soon as the temperatures rose to almost 40 degrees, my car started right up. So things sort of returned to semi-normal. Our trash can couldn’t be taken out for collection, because the short thaw caused it to refreeze and become immovable when it was time to place it at the curb. The pipes unfroze without bursting – another blessing. I was still confined to the walls of our new, old house because Paul was teaching art classes and tending the gallery that houses his one man show. We had warmth inside, hot water and enough food for at least a week – yet another blessing. We also made it to church on Sunday to hear God’s Word and encourage one another. Who’s counting my blessings?
Monday brought an ice storm, so my weekly coffee klatch with some women from church was cancelled. Most of us have osteoporosis and the slightest fall could send us to the ER. So homebound again! The next few days were filled with snow and trying to clear it from the driveway and automobiles. A neighbor plowed our sidewalk and part of our driveway. My car is now covered with twenty inches of snow and it’s not going anywhere. My dear husband has been flexing his muscles and doing the remaining shoveling. He had to shovel a path for the dog, because he refuses to answer nature’s call in a foot of snow. I mean, imagine trying to crouch in icy snow and frigid temperatures. Therefore he hasn’t eaten much in the last couple days.
Even with all this junk going on daily, I was able to write the first chapter of my novel. If you recall, I lost the original draft from my computer and foolishly didn’t made a backup copy. So I’m starting from scratch and I think it might be better than the original. Maybe it’s not so bad being isolated for a while.
As I look back on the events of the last couple weeks, I have to laugh a little, because all of these little struggles served a purpose in the scheme of things. God always manages to turn the icky things into something for our good.
My prayer lists continue to grow for members of my family as well as our church community. Life goes on. Tragedies strike. Sickness prevails and changes our course, we struggle with finances. Our president gave smashing speech this week, but the next day it was politics as usual. We pray and pray and pray. Sometimes it feels like those prayers are in vain, but with each challenge that comes our way, we’re getting closer to our heavenly Father and even closer to our eternal home. In the meantime, we need to look for the many blessings we experience each and every day. We will find them too, even amongst the winter weather and cabin fever.
Yes, indeed, God is good! Hang in there. All that white stuff is going to melt someday!
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In a few months we’ll be complaining about the heat and humidity.
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Ha! Great post. I so appreciate your strength and resilience. I am having a similar week, except it amounts to inches of snow and a bit more whining. 🙂
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I guess it’s all relative to our comfort zones, patience a rehabilitation our options are. I do lots of whining too😩
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Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
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Thank you Vincent 😇
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You’re very welcome Kathy 😍
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Loved this post! We too were shut down last week due to frigid temperatures. This week things were cancelled (after our very short warm spell) due to frigid temps again and some sideways snow. We didn’t get much snow but enough to cause ground blizzards and no visibility.
Glad you found something to do indoors!
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Trying to get Paul to paint the snow but it’s too darned cold!
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LOLOL I am not sure I could get Lar to paint snow either. I should ask him just to see what response I would get.
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Let me know what he says❤️
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He had a really puzzled look….he said as a child he and his brothers tried writing their names in the snow..😵
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I remember doing that too. An artist in the making!
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Oh, dear me! What a winter it has been! I have hated the cold here… but I can’t even begin to imagine how cold it has been where you are, dear Kathy! Love the painted snow, by the way. I hope you do get Paul to paint on the snow before the winter is over! Would love to see you post photos of that! Love and huge hugs!
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I’m afraid he’d become frost bitten, but
I’m sure the painting will be outstanding😳
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I’ll put the sheets on the guest bed!!!
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Two more snow storms heading this way next week. So tired of it even though it’s really beautiful.
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Get a plane ticket while you can— I’ll pick you up at the Atlanta airport
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I really wish I could. I’d love to finally meet you and your family. I’m also missing my S. Carolina family.
Maybe in two years when we come for Clemson graduation.
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we will—but just know, we don’t have snow 🙂
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