Pastor's Page
More Snow...Please!
Maryland has been buried in the worst snows in history. People are still digging out of the high drifts that have resulted from large amounts of snow blown to-and-fro by high winds. It truly looks like a "winter's wonderland." For someone who has lived the majority of his life in Texas, all this snow makes me yearn for either a quick Spring or a three-month sabbatical somewhere warm!
So to read a title like "More Snow...Please!" one would think I've fallen off my rocker! But I want to share with you some things that I've witnessed throughout all this snowfall and winter storms. A lot of people came together to mutually benefit their neighbors. I am not so naive to believe that everyone came together; I know there are stories to the contrary. But I was impressed by my neighbors and the stories of some of your neighbors, too.
Laura and I were out of town during the storms. Returning home we were wondering if we would be able to get into our driveway. Imagine the joyous surprise when we returned to find our drive and sidewalks completely cleared! Neighbors behaving neighborly...what a blessing.
On the news there were a number of stories of neighbors going out of their way to help each other. An elderly neighbor whose heat had gone out was rescued by neighbors who brought her into their home; a sick neighbor treated by neighbors until an ambulance could arrive to transport him to a hospital; business owners digging each other out - even competitors - so that people could be served.
One of the last events of our time in Houston was Hurricane Ike, who hit our area a week before we moved to Maryland. In the aftermath of that storm, it was neighbors helping neighbors clean up - a coming together of people who normally paid no attention to one another, now working together to clear debris and check on each other to make sure everyone was alright. Like Marylanders digging out, helping out...neighbors behaving neighborly.
I guess that what I'm ultimately saying is that if it's going to take storms in our lives to get us to pay attention to and show care for our neighbors...well, then, "More Snow...Please!"
Pastor Mike pastormike@smlc.org
