Disappointments, a Snow Storm, and the Time Change

I'm not sure who first decided that moving our clocks forward or backward every six months was a good idea.  I seem to remember that Benjamin Franklin has been credited with the idea.  Of course, when Ben mentioned daylight savings time, it was in the middle of a satirical essay, which likely means even he didn't think it was such a good idea.

Taking an hour from one end of the day and putting it on the other end of the day really accomplishes nothing, in my humble opinion.  There are still only twenty-four hours!  Well, it does accomplish something.  It messes with my body clock.  And I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one!

Since we had the "fall back" over the weekend, this morning - and probably for the rest of the week - I'm trying to adjust.  Not really sure what time it is.  Out of sorts.  Thinking it's mid-morning when it's really only eight o'clock.  Things like that.  Of course, I'll adjust.  We all will.  We're flexible like that.  But I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who will be complaining about it.  (See me smile!)

Winter arrived a little early.  Much too early for my liking.  At this time last week, we were enjoying a glorious fall and even experienced record high temperatures.  That all ended rather abruptly on Friday night, when temperatures plummeted and snow began to fall.  We woke up Saturday morning to frigid temperatures, howling winds, and the ground covered in snow.  It snowed all day.  And into the night.  And the temperatures dropped some more.  You get the picture.

I'm not so naïve as to think we could get through winter with no snow.  But I would like to wait until winter gets here before we have to deal with it!  Even my friends in Minnesota have not had snow yet! 

The snow was, of course, beautiful.  That goes without saying.  But there are still leaves on the trees, for goodness sake!  I'm just not ready for this.

That snow led to one of several disappointments.  We weren't able to get off this mountain and make our Sunday trip to Spartanburg to church.  No Cracker Barrel pancakes.  (I had to make my own!)  No fellowship with friends.  I had been scheduled to teach our Life Group lesson on Sunday, and I was looking forward to that.  Because of the snow, I had to switch Sundays with another teacher.  The good news is that now I'll get to teach from Hebrews 11.  The disappointment is that I didn't get to teach the lesson I had prepared. 

Biggest disappointment of all yesterday was not being able to worship "in person" with my church family.  Yes, we joined the service via internet and that was wonderful.  I'm so thankful for that option!  But, as wonderful as it is, there's just nothing like being there in person, in the room, surrounded by the "family".

Another disappointment has to do with a DIY project Al and I have planned for one of our bathrooms.  Al stopped at nearly every Lowe's and Home Depot in Asheville Friday night on his way home from the airport to pick up the bead board wainscoting we need.  We had looked at it several weeks ago, and decided on exactly what we wanted, so he was going to pick up the materials Friday night so we could work on the project on Saturday while it was snowing.  But, in the few weeks since we had first researched the materials and his trips to the store on Friday night, all the stores had discontinued this particular product.  It is now only available by special order.  Frustration!  Disappointment!

Disappointments.  We all have them.  A snow storm.  Missing church.  Losing a football game (my team lost....what about yours?). Not being able to purchase a product you want or need.  There are all sorts of things in life that cause us disappointment or frustration.

There will be some disappointments after tomorrow's voting.  There will be some winners and some losers.  The winners will be thrilled; the losers, and their supporters, will be disappointed.

Disappointments and frustrations are a part of the journey of life.  They are the potholes and detours on life's highway.  Our choice is whether to keep our focus on the potholes, or to enjoy the rest of the scenery!  Disappointments and frustrations can make us angry and bitter, or we can choose to accept them as part of the "all things" that are working together for our good (see Romans 8:28).

It's a choice.  Which will you choose?

"Finally, brothers [and sisters], whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."  (Philippians 4:8 ESV)