The air is cold, and it's raining, dark and gloomy outside.  The cats are eating more and fluffing out.  The squirrels are running around frantically trying to hide their nuts.  The wooly worms have one small band of tan right in the middle, with black on both ends, and the skins on the tomatoes are thick.  I've seen quite a few guesses as to how this winter will go: lots of snow with higher or lower than normal temps, virtually no snow with higher or lower temps, or basically an average winter (whatever that means).  The prognosticators are everywhere, and I guess come March we'll know the answer.
In the gospels people were always asking Jesus about the future or the end-times.  Sometimes he would remind them that they knew how to read the signs for themselves.  Sometimes he would tell them that no one knew the answer, not even him.  So they were encouraged to live their lives as he had taught them, and to not worry about the future.  It's the same with winter.  It may be bad, it may not be, but we will still need warm clothes, something to melt the ice, something to move the snow, and good tires.  We never know what the future will bring, but we can be prepared, and live our lives faithfully.



God of our yesterdays, today, and tomorrows, we come to you uncertain of what tomorrow may bring.  But we know that you have been with us in all our yesterdays.  You are with us today, and so we have complete faith that you will be with us no matter what tomorrow may bring.  We pray that you will take our fear for tomorrow and turn it into faithfulness, that we may face the future with confidence that calls others into your presence......Amen

Our church had it's bi-annual rummage sale last week.  Oh, my goodness, the stuff!  Most of the items are priced at $1.00 or less, with a very few things at $2-3.00.  In two and a half days they made more than $2200, and sent over 4000 pounds of leftovers to a mission in Omaha.  As I sat and looked at the accumulation, some of which came from 4 estates, a George Carlin routine kept running through my head.  He lamented our accumulation of stuff, and our need to have bigger houses, and even storage units, to accommodate our stuff.  The sale helps people who really need it, but oh, the piles of stuff!

Jesus once told a story about a rich man who brought in such a large harvest that he could not possibly use it all.  His response was to build bigger barns to hold it all, but that night he died, and what then happened to all that grain?  I'm not saying that if he had chosen to share his abundance with those in need he would not have died, but maybe he would have died with a lighter heart.





Loving God, today we pray not for those who have not, but for those who have too much.  It is difficult to give up our abundance because we consistently think of the what-ifs, and decide we need to keep it for ourselves.  But we need to remember that all our abundance comes from you and belongs to you, and as such is not for us to hold onto, but to share with those who need it.  Today we also lift up our sisters and brothers in South Carolina who are struggling to recover from their horrible flood.  Grant them your courage, your comfort, and your presence in these difficult days, and open the hearts of the rest of us to respond to their need......Amen