I am sitting here in a Caribou coffee shop wondering why I have even ventured out in this frigid weather. We woke up this morning in Minnesota to -10 degrees with a windchill of -35! Now for those of you that live in New Orleans that lived last week with a chilly 40 degrees...you ain't seen nothin' yet!
Here are just a few things that some of you Southerner's may not even know exist! We have what is known as "HEAT" that is a gas additive you put in your gas tank so you don't get what is known as "gas line freeze". Some of us actually have gas tank heaters on our cars where we can plug them in to keep them warm so they will actually start! Heated seats are the most coveted thing in your vehicle and Caribou and Starbucks coffee are the most popular places to be...even moreso than normal! Your winter survival kit consists of a full tank of gas (in case you end up sliding into the ditch on a frozen road), a wool blanket, "choppers" ( leather mittens with wool liners), a warm scarf, a half a bottle of water ( you don't want a full one because it will explode from the cold), high energy snacks and a shovel. We have what is known as black ice on the roads. That is frozen exhaust condensation...and it is virtually invisible so you don't even know if you have hit a patch until it's too late. And oh yeah there's ice fishing! Yes, you drive your car, truck, atv out on the lake, drill a hole and put a heated ice house (ice houses are for those people that can't hack the REAL cold!) on the ice and fish through that hole. Sometimes you have to take a small scoop and scoop out the ice that has formed on the hole. And if you are really lucky...yes it's all luck not skill...you will actually catch a few fish. This winter ritual in Minnesota is what most northern's look forward to when it's -10 outside!
You may ask...why do you live THERE? Well it's simple. Our family is here, our friends are here, our church is here and well up to now this is where God could use us to the fullest. And then there is the obvious question...Why are you leaving there? Your family, kids, friends, and church are there why would you leave? The answer again is simple. Because God has asked us to. Because He has now told us that He can use us to the fullest somewhere else. We will be moving to just north of New Orleans, LA hopefully in June of this year. We will leave it all behind, yes even the subzero winter temperatures to follow the call that God has on our lives. After our move we will train and learn how to best help people after their lives fall apart following disasters and crisis all over the world. We don't know where that will be or how long we will be there but we know that God will protect us, sustain us and guide us through it all. If He can protect us from the cold of Minnesota....He can protect us from anything. And for that we are forever grateful.
Praise God for His Sovereignty, His Love, His Grace and yes, even for cold winters in Minnesota!
Blessings to you all on this cold Minnesota evening!
Jackie
