One for the Dogs

Today I woke up to a very cold, snowy day with wind gusts blowing snow everywhere. We've been told for a while that this week coming up would be brutally cold and it's here!

Today it's was about -23 outside and about -30 with the wind chill factored in.

But it's Sunday, so, you guessed it, I went for my weekend long run. I actually was pumped up about it, just because it was so cold out and it seemed like a badge of honor to be running in such conditions. (others would say it's a badge of insanity, but that 's another story!)

If the idea of running in -30 seems nutty to you, think of it this way: at least I was running, and thus keeping myself reasonably warm! I honestly didn't expect to see anyone else on the Mill Creek path today, but I did. Quite a few of them actually. DOG WALKERS. People out in -30 walking with their dog. Now that's hardcore! I even saw one couple walking where the woman had the dog and the man was reaching into a snow bank to retrieve the dog's poop! Believe you me...I appreciate pooper-scooper-uppers, but that's going above and beyond the call of duty!!! WOW.

Speaking of poop, there was an article in yesterday's paper about police finding a pipe bomb in the bottom of a port-a-potty. It happened in north Vancouver on Friday morning. How would you like to have been the poor sap who had to remove the bombs!! If they had gone off, it would have given new meaning to the phrase 'the &*^% hit the fan'!! Ha Ha.

One final thought on the topic:

Every so often I end up feeling like *&^% on a Sunday afternoon, having preached with energy but without much anointing. Or so it seemed today. It reminded me of the Canada Dry Ginger Ale that's been sitting in our fridge for a few weeks: FLAT!

Who knows, maybe everyone was so cold from the drive to church that the blood never really got flowing again. Who knows. The whole thing is, admittedly, subjective, given that I'm basing it primarily on how I read the congregation. Listening, but not much response. At least people were listening. That's got to count for something.

Tonight I'm staying in! We've got the wood fireplace going, for the first time this winter and it's great. I love real wood fireplaces. My grandmother had one in her lakeside house in Ontario, so I've been in love with them ever since.

So with hot chocolate in hand and a fire burning, I will bunker down and let the cold wind swirl away outside, while I stay warm on the inside!