Snowstorms and the Flu

I remember being a child in Pennsylvania. Since we were only an hour from Erie, we were apt to have heavy winter blizzards and extreme weather. During those wintry months, my sister, Julie, and I would play in the snow, but time outside was limited.

I remember my parents bringing snow into the house and letting us play with it on the plastic runner my grandmother had at her front door. We would spend quality time with each other, playing games and telling stories. I even remember watching Hee Haw and eating Bugles while snuggled up with Grandma on those cold nights.

We would spend the night with her, and sleep upstairs in her tiny house. The heat would not reach up to our room, but Grandma made up for it with the 15 blankets on her bed. We couldn’t even move once under all of them. I may not remember everything about those childhood days, but the memories I have are good ones.

Sometimes, it takes something like a snowstorm for us to slow down and enjoy the family. We actually got a little taste of that this past spring when the snow fell unexpectedly. Drinking hot chocolate, playing cards, long afternoon naps; this sounds a little like vacation, huh! Maybe it’s not a snowstorm that slows us down; it could be the poor health of a loved one, or even sickness in the house; and this is the direction in which I will take you.

So…today we go to the doctor and find out that we have the flu. Man, are we having our own little pandemic in our house; time to be super-parents again, (my tights hurt!) Yes, we are quarantined. It is time to snuggle, play games, and tell stories for a week. It is opportunity for everything to come to a screeching halt, and time must stand-still. No appointments and no one can visit. It’s just us and our bambinos.

Just like everything else, we will make the best of this; we will trust God and seek His strength. I am aware that there are other families going through this in Monticello, and I want you to know that my prayers are with you. And if I may humbly ask, at some point during your busy week, take a moment and say a prayer for us. This would be greatly appreciated.

In Acts 2:44, we learn that the people gathered together and that they had all things in common. They reached out to their neighbors and welcomed them into their homes. They fed the hungry, clothed the naked, prayed for the sick, and they served their community. They were people, like you and me, and they changed their world. Even though we may go to different churches with different names and ideas, or not go to church at all, we as a community share certain truths.

We all love good memories, we all want to be liked and remembered, we all need to slow down and rest, a snowstorm brings wonderment to all of our minds, sickness catches us all by surprise, and we all, whether we believe or not, like to know that someone is praying for us.

So tonight, as my family is settling down to weather this snowstorm of sickness, I want to offer this prayer for you: Lord, I thank you so much for the people of Monticello. I thank you so much for your love and mercy. Please Lord, help us to love and care for each other as you love and care for us. And Lord, I pray that you will protect all of us from sickness and evil. This I pray in Jesus’ holy name. Amen.

Peace and love, Cheryl