Hot or cold?

I'm sitting at my desk enjoying the air conditioning but realizing that my electric meter is spinning at record speeds and my monthly bill is skyrocketing by the second. Outside I see my grass getting browner by the hour and our beautiful flowers wilting. And then there is the heavy humidity that is so depressing when combined with the record high temperatures that are being set. This is what they call a heat wave. Yesterday a person who had gone swimming told me that even the water felt like bath water. I do remember how we lived before air conditioning – often sleeping on the floor near an open outside house door, keeping the car windows open as we traveled, and changing sweated clothing often. One good point about this heat wave is that I haven't had to cut my grass in almost two weeks. The good news is that a cold front is on the way – with thunderstorms, probably accompanied by heavy winds, large hail, possible loss of electricity, and maybe even some tornados. Only six months ago we were shoveling, and shoveling, and shoveling record snow. We faced ice everywhere – walking and driving. We were housebound, sometimes without electricity, heat or water. We were dreaming of summer. Now, I ask you two questions. First, is it global warming or global cooling? Second, which do you prefer, being homebound because of the record snow of winter or because of the record heat of summer? Personally, I really don't like icy conditions and I also really don't like the severe storms of summer. Actually, I prefer … fall and football season. But there is no reason to be upset by the extremes of the two seasons. The seasons do pass very quickly. And if you really don't like one in particular, I guess you could either move to Siberia or to the Tropics. Many folks do avoid the cold winters by moving to Florida where they can enjoy the hurricanes. But despite some of the extremes, we are blest to live in an area where we can enjoy four distinct seasons and the beauty which each of them bring. Actually, the changing of the seasons should remind us of God's faithfulness and the order in His creation. One of my favorite verses of a great hymn, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness", says "Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, son, moon and stars in their courses above, join with all nature in manifold witness, to Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love." So if you feel like complaining about the heat wave, just sit back, grab a glass of cold iced tea, and thank the Lord for His faithfulness. For "great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me", in the good times, in the hard times … and even in the hot times. Stay cool!