blinding snow and freezing fog...

The snow is no longer blinding. Now it is simply relentless. There appears to be about 16" of on the ground and we are currently surrounded by "freezing fog." Lucie is "wild" with anticipation - a true snow hound - as she prances around the house trying to elicit a trip outdoors. Good luck for this is a day to stay inside and stay warm. I have needed to work quietly on various Holy Week details - and some mission outreach follow-up - but all from the comfort of a warm blanket in my own study. Life is good.

Last night, after a productive and upbeat church council meeting, I needed to go to the grocery store. It looked like an out-take from "Walking Dead" as the shelves and produce bins were stripped bare. Clearly, we had been invaded by zombies of ever size, race, age and gender. By the time I had stocked up my supplies, and waited in a line five deep, I looked up to see a bewildered and wearied young clerk. Ahead of me were two surly zombies with tons of coupons and precious little patience or humor. They grunted and barked to no one in particular as our clerk soldiered on as best he could until, breathing an audible sigh of relief, they wandered off into the night. 

He and I briefly exchanged glances before I said, "You look exhausted man... been pretty wild?" All at once, his inner-zombie departed as he smiled saying, "See the end of that frozen food counter? That's how long this line was just an hour ago. And it's been like that all day."

I bagged my own pizza, bread, milk and veggies and heard a soft "Thanks brother." Then I discovered my ATM card had gone AWOL. But there was no way I was going to book and leave him after all this. So I found a credit card and made it right even as I puzzled to myself, "Where the hell did that thing go?" (It is still among the missing!) He smiled again tenderly as I left and said, "Thank you." I hoped he could get home before the blinding snow and freezing fog hit us hard.

Some days I remember that it is NOT all about me - and I am grateful that last night was one of those times.