For 30 years, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, and I have lived in Florida, enjoying the beautiful weather.
The other morning, I got up, got my coffee, and sat down to begin the day. No sooner had I sat down than I felt cold and began to shiver, as I hadn't shivered in a long time.
The temperature was below my appreciation. I don’t like it when it’s cold. The only cold I like is in my tea and ice cream.
About that time, Martha came in and said, “What happened to global warming?”
Handling cold weather is something I’m not very good at even though I grew up in Pennsylvania where we had lots of it. I didn’t mind it back then, but I was much younger and could handle it better.
A relative of mine who still lives up north asked if I missed the cold snowy weather. I told him, “Yes, I do miss all the cold weather, and I plan to miss it the rest of my life.”
Where people get the idea the weather is changing is beyond me. What’s changed is my ability to deal with cold weather. Once, I could handle 32 degrees, but now I struggle with the 50s. It can never be too hot for me, but it sure can be too cold.
As Martha and I were sitting together, we had a shivering contest. I think she thought she could outshiver me, but I won that one. I can shiver like nobody you’ve ever seen. My shivering is to tell the cold to go north, where it belongs.
Maybe one of these days I’ll become accustomed to the cold we get. But until then, I’m not a happy camper with it.
I want to sue the weather broadcasters because I think they’re responsible for all the chill. Why can’t they get on their media platform and say, “It’s going to be a perfect day to day, enjoy it.” But no, they have to say it’s going to be colder today than yesterday.
Why can’t all these weather broadcasters across the country get together and plan perfect weather every day? No more cold, or snow, or rain, but everything would be absolutely perfect. I could handle that.
Of course, I know that if the weather were perfect every day, all of those people would lose their job. However, I’m willing to take the chance.
I’m old enough to know nothing is perfect — except maybe Martha. Besides her, nothing in this world is perfect.
If everything in the world were perfect, what would I have to complain about?
As I shivered in my chair — even with a cup of hot coffee, I was reminded of a Bible verse.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
— Romans 12: 2
Nothing in this world is perfect. My hope is in the transforming power of God, which is based on the perfect will of God.
Dr. Snyder is a former pastor who lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, in Ocala, Fla. His email is [email protected].
