Scientific discovery: Cold water on a windshield freezes when the temperature is below freezing.

We don't have a groundhog event around these parts to test when spring might be arriving but here we are once again bracing for another round of sub-freezing temps later this week. It is Tuesday, February 8, 2011 and I bid you welcome to this latest edition, hot off the presses, or perhaps in this colder than normal winter, cool off the presses. This past Sunday morning I went out to my car around 6 a.m. to get it started for Church. I had read the weather forecast on the internet the night before and for our area it predicted 37 degrees. That's not bad at all coming off of below freezing for nearly three days in a row. It did seem colder than that but I got in and started the car and turned on my windshield wiper to clear the window. It smeared a little so I gave it a couple of shots of water. Uh oh! It was obviously colder than 37 because I was suddenly surrounded by the crystal cathedral. (Turned out to be 30 not 37) It was very early, therefore, I knew the traffic would be next to nothing. I figured I could limp along until the defroster caught up. Welcome to a series of wrong conclusions. As I backed out of the driveway the first thing I saw was a car coming towards me. I didn't actually see the car but I did see their lights producing quite a show inside my vehicle. I more or less felt my way along and eventually the defroster did catch up. When I arrived at the Church property I couldn't help but chuckle to myself about how that no matter how many years you occupy space on the planet, you still can, at any given moment, end up doing some pretty stupid things. I'm sure having shared my little driving escapade, I will no doubt be having a follow up discussion with my better half!

It seems more and more she starts these types of conversations with, "How many times have I told you.....?" And, I am very glad she's concerned because while we do live and learn, if we are not careful the learning part might be very costly. Right? A little excitement on a Sunday morning never hurt anyone. Our eldest son was one of those who drove in to his workplace last Friday. He had to make his way across all those frozen freeways and side streets to get there. I was very concerned about him making that trip. I talked to him on his phone several times and he did have a very difficult time getting across the metroplex. I advised him early and often to figure out a way to get done whatever he needed to get done from home, on his laptop. I told him it wasn't very smart to risk his life for such a long trip when we were watching folks on the TV slipping, sliding, and wrecking all over the place. He would not listen. My wife was listening to me talk to him. She was really stirred up. Not so much about him doing what he was doing which did greatly concern her, but it was me telling him that he should use good judgment and stay home. Finally, she had one of those volcano eruption responses where she blurted out: "Who do you think he learned this kind of stubbornness from? How in the world do you think you have any room to be giving that type of advice?" I am so thankful he made it safely there, and then back home later in the day. And, I have done some soul searching on the other stuff and decided that she was just a little up tight from being cooped up on a very icy day. As for the person she was describing, they would certainly be someone in need of help. Know what I mean?

Okay. Some of these stories have been embellished a little as a way of bringing a smile. Truth is, we all tend to be set in our ways. That can be both good and bad. I will be the first to admit that I need to see myself as a work in progress where the Master Potter is still chipping away at the flaws. I have not arrived. I've known a few folks who really thought they had, and typically, nearly everyone could see a number of areas where they still had quite a ways to go. I also know that with age we tend to think that growing and changing is for the younger generation. I believe we still have room to grow and improve up to and until that moment when He calls us home. The song written mostly for children by Joel Hemphill but later recognized as fitting everyone comes to mind: "He's still working on me to make me what I ought to be. It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars, The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient He must be, He's still working on me." That would include us all and to tell you the truth, I'm glad He's not finished with me yet because I've very recently heard some fairly convincing first hand accounts about some areas that still need some work in my life. How about you? The chipping process may not be comfortable but as one preacher put it, "We can become an object of notable excellence. One that  reflects honor and glory back to Him." A good thought for a Tuesday. Have a great day and may God bless each one. Amen.           .....More later.