Snow Storm of the Century

Since we're not that far into the century, it might be premature to say this was the snow storm of the century. But Dawn told me this morning that this ranks as one of the top 5 most severe snow storms in recorded history. Interesting little tidbit of info, right?

Tommy came over Friday night to get the snow blower out of the shed and prepare for Saturday's snow. It's a good thing he did because as he was looking it over, he discovered it needed a little fixing up. I'm not sure what that was, but I was helpful in holding it while he did the work.

Then while he did a little more prep work, Dawn and the girls came inside where it was warm.

 That's a lap-full!

Saturday was one long day of snow, snow, snow. Tommy and his father-in-law came over and with 2 snow blowers went to work. 

The snow was already deep and they worked really hard till they got it done. Then off they went to do someone else's place.

Being in the house all day, I needed something to do so kept the oven going making 2 batches of cookies. It helped to keep the house warm and cozy - and provided comfort food as well as payment to a certain son-in-law who worked so hard.

 

Later, toward evening, they came back to make another pass. That time didn't take as long and Kira came along to play with Andy and me while her daddy was working.

Sheriff Kira, with Pop-pop the prisoner!

The storm finally left our area, but not before dumping over 20 inches of snow. Today, the sun was brilliant and the skies were amazingly blue. It was a glorious day. Tommy and family came over again this morning. Tommy wanted to make one last pass with the snow blower. I'm glad he did come over because the driveway at the street was blocked with large ice/snow boulders from the snow plows. He had to shovel that clear before getting to work on the rest of the driveway. Dawn and the girls came in the house to have some coffee and together time with us while Tommy did the work.

She loves taking selfies!

Hmmm...what kind of fun things are in Grammy's purse?

 

What a difference today is - how beautiful that snow is. 

I'm so thankful for our family and I was struck with the concept of how God values family, too, when I read in Your Father Loves You (J.I. Packer) his devotional for March 22. (I know we're still in January, but I read ahead, ok?!)

Packer was commenting on Romans 8:28-29 on the phrase that God foreknew us. He said that in this verse, "foreknew" really means "foreloved." He continues by explaining: "Often in Scripture, knowing includes the idea of affection, as when a husband knows his wife or a friends knows a friend. God, then foreloved us and predestined us to be conformed to Jesus."

"To the question, 'What did God want out of this world with its sin, fallenness, and confusion?' one true answer is, 'He wanted an extended family.' He has one Son, we might say, and wanted more. Of course there are differences between Jesus and the rest of God's sons and daughters. Jesus is the eternal Son of God by nature while we are God's children through Jesus by adoption and grace. Nevertheless, the glorious truth about redemption is that God wanted to extend his family and have many, many people with him for all eternity bearing the family likeness: 'a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues' (Rev. 7:9). That was why he sent his Son to die for us and now sends his Spirit to call us to faith, keep us in faith, and renew us in Jesus' image."

In meditating on this concept, I couldn't help but think that any time a daughter announces she's going to have another baby, what joy and celebration we feel at the thought of another little person joining our family. I think I would be happy if we had 100 grandchildren. Just keep having babies, girls! Each child is precious, unique and special. 

I don't know that I ever thought about the fact that God feels the same about adding people to his family. Maybe having our own children and grandchildren helps in understanding that feeling. I love having our whole clan at our house, sitting around our table, being together. It's a beautiful picture of our fellowship in the family of God in heaven around his table one day.

Looking at this picture fills me with delight. And consider this verse in Zephaniah 3:17:
"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

It was nice to have the snow storm to give our minds a break from the routine.

Earlier in the week, we had an appointment with a representative from a home health aide agency. She came to the house to assess our situation. Andy and I both really liked her and are excited about the chance I will have in another 6 weeks to get away for 2 days, leaving Andy at home. It was a good visit and we worked out some details of how things will be taken care of while I'm gone. 

Her visit, though, added to Andy's confusion. After she left, he kept thinking I was the care giver. After dinner that evening, he asked me if I liked to cook. I said I did. Then he asked another question that revealed he didn't know he was talking to me. (So many confusing conversations take place, it's hard to remember every detail.) Later that evening, I came out of the bedroom with my robe on, dressed for bed. At that point, he asked me if I was going to spend the night. I told him I was. Then he asked if I was sure I didn't want to go home. I told him I was home. He looked confused so I told him I was his wife. At that point, he buried his face in his hands and said he was so embarrassed. Poor guy!

Since then, he keeps asking when I'm going away, and how long I'll be gone, and when I'll be back, and what I'll be doing, and who I'll be going with. I keep giving him the details as he asks. Sometimes, he realizes he's heard the answer before, other times, it's new information. I'm happy to say that I think the Lord is giving me the patience I've been asking him for. How good he is to me.


On Wednesday morning, I took Andy to his neuropsychologist because the dentist recommended it after the trauma of last week. He continued to be so confused. It seemed like his disease was progressing rapidly. So the doctor made note of everything I related to him, was empathetic and encouraging, but what else could he do? The disease is progressive and Andy will never get better. 

During the doctor visit, Andy was asked if he knew what year it was. Andy answered it was, "2007." Then the doctor asked him if he knew what month it was. Andy said no. Then when the doctor asked what season we were in, he gave him multiple choice: "summer, spring, fall or winter?" Andy got that one right!

And there again, I read in Your Father Loves You, in the March 20th reading, a beautiful truth about the grace of God. "Grace is God drawing sinners closer and closer to him. How does God in grace prosecute this purpose? Not by shielding us from assault by the world, the flesh and the devil, nor by protecting us from burdensome and frustrating circumstances, nor yet by shielding us from troubles created by our own temperament and psychology, but rather by exposing us to all these things, so as to overwhelm us with a sense of our own inadequacy, and to drive us to cling to him more closely. This is the ultimate reason, from our standpoint, why God fills our lives with troubles and perplexities of one sort and another - it is to ensure that we shall learn to hold him fast."

And we have this assurance, that the troubles in this life are momentary in comparison to the glory of all eternity stretching out ahead. One day we shall see our Lord and Savior face to face, and the things of this earth will grow strangely dim. Oh glorious day!