Any Warm Spot

Daily Gratitude Year 7 - Day 30: Today, I am grateful for any warm spot.

I just checked. It was -19F and -34F with wind chill. There is nothing the slightest bit amusing about this cold. It is dangerous for man and beast. Crazy cold. Bitter is a good place to start, but this cold is beyond bitter. It will still be brutal at our warmest temps today and tomorrow. 

I noted on the news that there are businesses who will provide shelter for those who need it in this arctic blast. I am grateful for the warm spots these kind hearts provide. It might not be "good for business" to have the homeless and struggling sitting at their tables, but it will be good for their souls. 

"Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love."-Ephesians 4:2

Our hearts and minds go to the homeless, but there will be others who break down on the way to or from work or their furnace breaks at the worst possible time. For those with no family or faith family... they may have nowhere to wait out this storm. Winter storm Jayden is relentless. These businesses creating warming stations are Jesus hands in the midst of this trial. 

I am grateful for those caring for the animals in this cold. 

Our Daisy Mae is a pretty girl, but she is still a puppy at just a year old. She has no common sense about the cold. She wants to play and chase anything that blows around in the backyard. The white snow makes it easy to spot a left over blowing leaf or branch that has broken. She attempts to collect the sticks and bring them inside. They snap sounding more like glass than wood. Baby, it's cold outside.  To keep her safe, we have to stay and watch her closely. We call her in long before she is ready. She has no sense of the danger in her own backyard.  

We are told to love our neighbors and care for the animals God created. In this winter storm, the opportunities are ample. There is always someone in need.  

If the heaters in your life are working, you are wealthy beyond measure. 

Today, I am grateful for any warm spot.