It’s all relative

For the past two weeks, we have been in a winter deep freeze, with temperatures barely making the daily high warmer than -23, and feeling like -34 with the wind chill. Those are the daily highs. Never mind the overnight lows, and waking up to temps of -30 with a wind chill of -43.

So earlier last week, when it was reported that the Toronto area was experiencing severely cold temperatures at -15, Manitobans mocked them. We are a sturdy lot, here in Manitoba, embracing the nickname “Winter-peg”. I did try to come to the aid of my Ontario kinfolk by trying to educate the mocking Manitobans by enlightening them that if you factor in Ontario’s humidity, it feels like a much colder “cold”; a cold that goes through all of your layers. I tried. I got mocked.

But I think it is all relative. For those living in Ontario where the seasonal temperatures are much more moderate and -5 might be typical for a winter day, then -15 is much colder. Here in Manitoba, our typical winter day is around -15.

The sad thing is, last Friday, when the high was about -22 with a wind chill of -35, and the sky was a beautiful blue and full of bright sunshine, I actually said to someone, “It’s warming up! It’s not too bad out there!”

It’s all relative.

Found the following at www.yuksrus.com/weather_coldtemp.html. Enjoy!

"Cold" is a relative term. Use the handy list below to overcome
the confusion. (Degrees Celsius)

+25 Aussies put on sweaters (if they can find one in their wardrobe)
(technically, they call it a jumper, which explains why they can't
find a "sweater")

+20 Miami residents turn on the heat

+10 You can see your breath
Vancouverites shiver uncontrollably

+5 Italian cars don't start

0 Water freezes

-5 Maritimers put on T-shirts
Politicians begin to worry about the homeless
British cars don't start

-10 Toronto water freezes
Vancouverites weep pitiably
Manitobans eat ice cream on the patio
Maritimers go swimming

-15 You can hear your breath
Politicians begin to talk about the homeless
Montreal water freezes

-20 French cars don't start
You plan a vacation in Mexico
Cat insists on sleeping in your bed with you

-25 Too cold to ski
Manitobans do up the top button
You need jumper cables to get the car going

-30 American cars don't start
Yukoners put on T-shirts
Too cold to skate

-35 German cars don't start
Eyes freeze shut when you blink
You can cut your breath and use it to build an igloo
Newfoundlanders stick tongue on metal objects
Miami residents cease to exist

-40 Cat insists on sleeping in your pajamas with you
Politicians actually do something about the homeless
Ottawans shovel snow off roof
Japanese cars don't start

-45 Too cold to think
You need jumper cables to get the driver going

-50 You plan a two week hot bath (if you could only thaw the water)
The St Lawrence freezes over
Swedish cars don't start

-55 Vancouverites disappear
Maritimers put on sweaters
Other Canadians put on overcoats
Your car helps you plan your trip South, but won't start

-60 Parliamentary hot air freezes
Yukoners close the bathroom window

-70 Hell freezes over
Polar bears move south

Blessings in Disguise

My son is taking a nutrition and wellness course at college and seems to be enjoying it immensely. He’s learning about making healthy nutritional choices, including the apparent evils of gluten. I commented to him that it’s much easier to choose to eat gluten-free when it hasn’t been imposed upon you by a diagnosis of celiac disease, to which he replied, “Possibly a blessing in disguise?”

I’ve been thinking of that phrase “blessing in disguise” often this week. Since being diagnosed as having celiac disease and going on a gluten-free diet nearly 15 years ago, I don’t believe I’ve ever thought of my diagnosis as a blessing. I think I have been in “crisis management mode” for the past 15 years and can't say I have really moved forward in a healthy way. It has taken a long time, but I feel like I’m finally at a point where I want to make a healthy change, and not because I have to. I’m finally working at seeing the blessing in my situation and diagnosis.

I had to think then of what other circumstances and occurrences might qualify as “blessings in disguise” or as “sheep in wolf’s clothing”, if you will; scary at first, but then warm and fuzzy. (OK, maybe not warm and fuzzy, but I hope you get my drift.)

Last week I wrote about having to deal with repairs to our furnace and van. In the middle of it all, it was a financial hardship and a huge inconvenience; it hardly seemed like a blessing and felt more like a “wolf”. But the blessing in the inconvenience was that these things happened during a week of abnormally warm winter temperatures, just before a blizzard hit and we are now enduring a cold snap. I’m so very thankful both the van and the furnace are running well when it is so bitterly cold outside!

It’s not easy to find blessings in everything. Serious illness, hospitalization,and death are some of life’s most painful experiences that don’t offer up a lot of positives.

How can I change my perspective of life experiences to see the positives and not just focus on the negatives. How can I unmask the “blessings in disguise” in the circumstances that come my way?

Romans 5:3-5
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

I resolve ... to exercise more

I don’t generally make New Year’s Resolutions, and this year was really no different. I had been thinking that I need to exercise more and get into better shape (more of a triangle maybe? less of a circle?), and had been thinking of starting a rather drastic diet, mostly in part due to my celiac disease, but also in an effort to establish more health-conscious eating habits. I have yet to start on that diet, as I thought it might be best to get rid of all of the Christmas chocolate first.

As far as exercise goes, I am still hoping to work those abs, legs, thighs and arms and whatever else connects all of those body parts together. But last week my exercises were less physical and more, how shall I put it, spiritual?

As a Christmas gift, I received a daily devotional book called “Jesus Calling, Enjoying Peace in His Presence”, by Sarah Young. It contains short daily readings with corresponding Scripture encouraging and nurturing one’s relationship with Jesus. So here’s a snapshot look of my past week and the daily readings that fueled my spiritual workout:

Sunday, January 6: Woke up early to drive Eric to the yard so he could leave on a trip. I should note that we needed to drive Corey’s car since our van had a meltdown on the day before. "Meltdown" accurately describes it, since the van overheated, the coolant had leaked out and the van kept stalling. Later that morning I noted that the furnace wasn’t kicking in and the inside temperature gradually kept dropping. At least it wasn’t -35 outside! I tried a number of things to re-set the furnace hoping to kick-start it, but finally caved and called a repair guy to come and take a look at it. The long and short of it was that he couldn’t fix whatever the issue was and hooked up a construction heater to heat the house through the furnace fan. Unfortunately for me it had to be plugged in to my dryer outlet and I still had one load in the washer.

The daily reading for the day:

“I am able to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine. ...Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust Me in the dark (or the cold?). The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention.”

Typically in a situation like this with the furnace not working, I would be a worrier, fretting constantly. I made a conscious decision to exercise my “trust” muscle, waiting on God to work it out and resting in Him to take care of us.

Monday, January 7: I actually did get some physical exercise and worked those legs, since the van was out of commission and I needed to walk to the bus stop, which is either a 6-8 minute walk to a feeder route or a 20-25 minute walk to the express route.

The daily reading for the day:

“It is impossible to praise or thank Me too much. ... When adversity strikes and you thank Me anyway, your trust in My sovereignty is a showpiece in invisible realms.”

As I walked and exercised my legs, I also exercised my “thankfulness” muscle, praying and thanking God for His sovereignty and for taking care of us in the midst of the furnace not working. It was much harder to be thankful at the end of the day when I had to write the cheque to pay the bill for the furnace repair, as it was roughly twice what I had been anticipating.

OK. Furnace fixed. Next course of business is getting the van fixed. Lord, help us get the van to the garage without it stalling or overheating!

Tuesday, January 8: The van had been dropped off at the garage Monday night without incident (and with much prayer). When I finally spoke with the mechanic Tuesday morning, he gave me the news of what needed to be repaired and gave me the estimate. This time I was anticipating a big bill, so when the amount was less, it felt like it was good news!

The daily reading for the day:

“Whenever you feel inadequate, remember that I am your ever-present Help. Hope in Me ... Hope is like a golden cord connecting you to heaven. The more you cling to this cord, the more I bear the weight of your burdens.”

When it comes to mechanical issues with the vehicles, I feel completely inadequate. I thank God that we had previously found a mechanic that we liked and trusted. I was continually exercising those hope, trust and thankfulness muscles!

The reading for January 10th really summed up the whole week for me:

“Every time you affirm your trust in Me, you put a coin into my My treasury. Thus you build up equity in preparation for days of trouble. I keep safely in My heart all trust invested in Me, with interest compounded continuously. The more you trust Me, the more I empower you to do so.

Practice trusting Me during quiet days, when nothing much seems to be happening. Then when storms come, your trust balance will be sufficient to see you through. Store up for yourself treasure in heaven, through placing your trust in Me. This practice will keep you in My Peace.”

So I guess I do have a Resolution for the new year: I resolve to keep exercising those trust, hope and thankfulness muscles. I have a God who is good to me and loves me very much!

Psalm 62:5-8
Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge.