More snow has arrived, just when it had started to melt away, and the streets had begun to dry. 5-10 cm, maybe even 15, is forecast. Who needs it? But that's not the question, is it. The issue, is what will we do about it? No ... what can we do about it? The answer, of course, is nothing (see yesterday's post!). All we can do is deal with with. Shovel out again, wade through the slop, and wait for it to begin melting again.
I had a conversation with several parishioners yesterday, all of whom are dealing with family or friends with difficult ailments. One of them has a mother, now well past 90, who has more or less stopped eating, existing mostly on tea and ice cream. She has come to believe firmly that God never asks us to do something we can't do—and that God will give us the strength to do these things. But she very much agreed with me when I suggested that God often asks us to do things we don't want to do.
Yes, I will be able to shovel out my driveway if I have to (barring any injury or illness, of course)—but I sure don't want to have to do it!
And my parishioner and others like her will find a way to deal with family illnesses, because that's what we have to do, and by God's grace we will see it through. But may we never want this to be our lot.
Dear God,
give us the strength to do what must be done,
and the grace to accept that it must be so,
for the love of your Son,
who accepted your will and not his own.
