Beauty in the storm
This past week has brought blankets of snow and ice to the area; closing schools and knocking out power. We missed two days of class at the seminary, which gave me time to catch up on reading, but now means a bit of a crunch for our professors trying to get back on track. The power outages also meant that Thompson Memorial was without power for four days; the lights only came back up Saturday night as plans were being made to cancel worship. Bulletins were printed, plans were changed, and worship was held.
Amid all the craziness, I had the opportunity to spend three days in a row with parishioners. While ice covered trees and snow blanketed the ground, I was able to sit in front of a fire with my small group and talk theology over wine and cheese. I drove through tunnels of shimmering trees to share conversation and coffee with an amazing man with an amazing story. And my wife and I saw two herds of horses with blankets (or coats - we couldn't agree on the proper term!) enjoying the clear skies as we headed to lunch with a delightful member of the congregation.
Through all of it, two things have stuck out to me this week. The first is that winter storm, while they can be amazingly destructive, are also amazingly beautiful. The second is that spending time in conversation with people is wonderful. It doesn't matter what the topic is, simply getting to hear another person's story is a privilege. My friends, I hope that this week you take the time to hear someone's story that you haven't heard before. I can guarantee you it won't be wasted time.
Until next time, peace.