January 31, 2016

“That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the east side.” So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along. Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink. Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?” Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm. Jesus asked his disciples, “Why were you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?” (Mark 4:35-40)

As I sit writing my devotions, the Eastern Mid-Atlantic States are preparing for the blizzard of 2016 – another “Snowmageddon”. The panic has set in. I am planning to go to the grocery store for one item – ground turkey. Can you believe that I went to the store last evening, at 10:30 pm, and they were completely wiped out of ground turkey. What is up with that? Is everyone planning to make burgers with ground turkey during the storm? I can understand the bread being low, the milk shelf being empty, but ground turkey?

Since I am planning on being stuck inside for one, maybe two days, I have compiled a list of things you can do during a blizzard.

1. Read the bible. There is nothing that helps to pass the time than to pick a book, like the Psalms, and decide to read it through from beginning to end. Pick one of the books you seldom hear in church – Proverbs, Leviticus, Ruth, or Malachi. Maybe even give Revelation a try. Read the bible.

2. Write a letter to someone you love. We do not write each other any more. We send texts, we send email, but we rarely receive a hand written note unless it comes from our grand mother or a great-aunt. Write a letter to someone you love.

3. Play a board game. We have some great board games that we never have the time to play. They are either in a box in our basement or stacked away on a shelf in the den. Find a board game that takes a long time to play (like Monopoly or Life) and spend some quality time together. Play a board game.

4. Teach yourself to play the guitar. I have decided after forty years of wanting to play the guitar that I am teaching my self to learn to play the guitar. Yes, you need to have a guitar in your residence, but if you don’t there are virtual guitars on the internet. Evening imagining yourself doing something will help in learning – and the internet can teach you finger positions until you find a guitar. And, I would bet that if you ask your neighbors, those within walking distance, if someone has a guitar you can borrow, you will find one. Teach yourself to play the guitar.

Anything you do when it is storming outside helps you to stay calm. Look at Jesus – he was asleep in the stern of the boat when the storm hit. Being busy helps us to keep our minds off the worries of life. And if you are reading about Jesus, or about one of the prophets of G-d, it may help keep you calm.

Pastor Dave