I woke up this morning, and after doing a few errands with my wife and spending a fair amount of time with my video game hobby, I settled down to writing the bulletin. Several ideas of things that happened this past week flitted through my mind, but as I looked out the window gathering my thoughts something much more unusual caught my attention. Turning my head just a fraction to get a good look, I noticed it was snowing. Turning my head back just a bit was enough to see the calendar which claimed it was May 18th. Hmmmm. Am I back in Colorado? I thought these things weren't supposed to happen in New England. (And yes it can easily snow in May in Colorado. After living there 13 years, I believe the only month I have not seen snow fall would be August, and I am not so sure about that month, either.)

You know, I watched the weather earlier today. No chance of snow was mentioned. Just a little rain was all they talked about. I saw the news from two sources, the weather channel and a local station. They are supposed to be professionals, but why is it that they seem to miss the forecast so often? I am not just talking about a surprise snow shower. It sure seems to me that they predict rain and we get none. They talk sunny and it's cloudy. The big blizzards they fret over turn out to be flurries, and the light wind from the north they dismiss with a wave of the hands turns into a nor'easter that buries my driveway.

Don't misunderstand me, often they DO predict the weather right, but just think about it. Everyone talks about the weather. I see people ignore major news about the economy but they are all ears when the weather comes on the radio. It is studied and analyzed. Trends are observed, and a zillion statistics are generated trying to second guess it. I think the weather is probably one thing that almost everyone is interested in, everyone complains about, and, yes, no one does anything about it. And we know so much about it! There are so many readings of so many things going back for decades and decades; readings of the temperature and barometer pressures and wind speeds and relative humidity. In spite of all this ... they still predict it wrong, so very often! And we get little surprises, like the dandy snow today that chilled a flower or two. Oh well, I thought it was neat.

The weather is something that we have so much data on, but we still know almost nothing about. I point this out to my friends at work, and they agree it is something you just can't be confident in - there are too many unknowns. Then I tease them by mentioning evolution. I mean, here is something that there are no facts as proof. It is ALL unknowns, yet my friends believe in it as surely as the sun rises and sets. The bible, a huge fact in support of creation, they dismiss because it doesn't fit in with what they want. In fact many of them don't believe in God, either. Here is this world, the creation of our Lord. Evidence is all around them, to see and taste and touch. No God, they claim. Big bang.

It reminds me of when I went to summer camp with my son Dave for scouts. On the days it rained, it didn't rain at all. It was just "liquid sunshine," according to the staff. Well, that liquid sunshine sure did a number on soaking our boys! You can ignore things all you want, but that won't make them go away. And based on the info I have at hand, I can make a few predictions. If you choose to ignore God's word, the forecast for you is darkness, with lots of heat. Tears as rain will fall, and cries of pain will groan like the howling of the wind. On the other hand, if you choose to obey God, expect eternal sunlight followed by eternal sunlight. Pleasant day without end, because there is no night there. Apparently, the weather in hell will be more "interesting," while the weather in heaven will be very "boring." I think I'll take the boring, won't you? And you know, I have a hunch I won't ever get tired of it!

Matthew 8:23-27 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him.

Acts 27:9-15 Now when the time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless, the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete and lieth to the south west and north west. And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. and when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.