Extremes

Just got back from a week in Canada. Vancouver was ok, snow and rain highs in the 30's f. Edmonton was a little, no, a lot different. It was clear but the high in Edmonton was a -13 f with a low of -29 f. Yes that was 29 degrees below zero. As one of the crew said you don't live in that kind of weather you survive it. Calgary was a little warmer, when we left it was -5 degrees. The temperature in Dallas upon arrival was 75 degrees. So we gained 80 degrees in about three hours. Glad to be back in the warm!

Cold extremes are hard on equipment. Any drip you have in warm weather becomes a leak when the cold contracts everything. Batteries get real weak and oil very thick. You have to make preparations to survive the cold weather.

Life is a lot like that. Preparations need to be made so you can survive the extremes. Extremes are the parts of life that happen to other people. Cancer, job loss, death. The things that test your relationship to God.

Preperations:

1. Spend time in His word, listening.

2. Spend time in prayer, sharing your heart.

3. Spend time with a 'strong believer', sharing and growing your faith.

Books are written on each of these tasks. So they may be simple but they can be so rich and rewarding as you delve deeper into them.

Blessings.

Montreal - Warm & Peaceful

Today Montreal is basking in an unusually toasty fall day. The date is Oct 22 and it is 77 degrees, soft warm sunshine and barely a breath of breeze. Strolling by the river near city center was almost uncomfortably warm. Definitely not the chilling cold fall I was expecting. The foliage is arrayed in a full gamut of fall splendor.

French is preferred and English is definitely second language here. It is fun to attempt ordering food without asking or checking the English version. (I am pretty good at most menu items.)

Observing folks along Rene Levesque, the street by the hotel, most people fall into a French European stereotypical appearance. Smoking is very commonplace among all ages. Few acknowledged greetings on the sidewalk, and eye contact was only occasional. Maybe that is the european influence or, perhaps just surviving a big city.

This was my peaceful and restful day in Montreal... May yours be the same.


Blessings.