Snowtaster!

In Northern California the primary natural disaster concern is earthquake.  The major earthquakes are legend - the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake during the World Series when the Bay Bridge collapsed, the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake when much of San Francisco burned are two prime examples.  During the decade I lived the Bay Area there was never an earthquake of such magnitude, but I did experience several smaller ones.  I remember during a 3.0 racing upstairs to grab baby John, only to find the quake had stopped before I got there.

We were always warned to "be ready" for a big one.  Whenever a major earthquake happened anywhere in the world, whenever an anniversary of a big earthquake in California occurred, the media would run speculative stories.  Everyone had helpful directions from the preschool to the gas company, and yet I never seemed to quite get my full earthquake kit together.  There is something difficult about getting ready for a disaster at a time you cannot name.

The second coming of Christ is commonly thought of as a sort of disaster akin to an earthquake.  In Matthew's Gospel Jesus warns, "Therefore keep watch, for you do not know the day or the hour."  Radio theologians and televangelists use this as a threat - "Have you accepted Jesus in your life?  Do you know where you are going to spend eternity?"  They might as well ask where the gas turn off valve is.  This kind of readiness in the face of possible panic has appeal only for a limited audience, apparently the sort that doesn't include me.

Now that I'm back in the Midwest, I am reminded that there are other kinds of disasters, more the sort you can plan on. 

This week the airwaves have been buzzing.  "Blizzard of historic proportions!"  "Up to 24 inches of snow"  "Worse that '79, worse that '67!"  So far the warning didn't seem so different from California disaster scenarios.  But there was one more announcement, "Blizzard watch Tuesday 3PM-Wednesday 3PM."  Now there was something I could wrap my head around.  I could get ready.

I went out and bought groceries.  The stores were "packed."  I put that in quotation marks because my experience on Monday and Tuesday shopping was more akin to a regular day at the Berkeley Bowl than a panicked frenzy.  Still, the shoppers couldn't help but comment.  Sometimes the only parking spots were FIFTY FEET! away from the stores.  Sometimes the lines were FOUR CARTS! long.  Can you imagine?  People had no idea how to queue in such circumstances, and I tried my best to model good Berkeley technique.

Since we have steam heat, I want too concerned about cold.  Even if the electricity goes out, the boiler will still continue on. I did buy a "trunk load" of wood for entertainment.  John helped me stack in the garage which is also steam heated. 

On Monday John and I also got fitted for snowshoes, again, not so much because I fear not being able to get out - the trains are running - but for entertainment's sake.  John wanted to walk around the apartment in them.  Noting the ice cleats on the bottom of the shoes, and imagining our landlord's probable response, I told John we'd have to wait until we got outside to try them out.

Overnight there was snow and thunder snow.  I'd never heard of "thunder snow' before, but can now tell you that thunder and lightning are not just for the rain.  The kitty slept very close last night - John slept straight through.

This morning there's a good 12-18" on the ground with more snow coming down.  It's too windy to try out our snowshoes, but the magic coffee machine is a hummin', Jay has Bar Review to do, and John is enjoying the glories of the first snow day in Chicago since 1999.  I can blog freely knowing that I am prepared.

And it makes me wonder; perhaps we need less the dire warnings of a "someday" coming of Christ and more of a present realization.  Old Testament readings these last few weeks have centered on the needs of the poor and the weak who, Matthew reminds "will be with us always."  Instead of focusing on getting ready for some kind spiritual war to end all wars ala Left Behind we should focus on the disaster in our midst even now.  There are many people who's larders are not so surely stocked as mine.

But it isn't all about disaster, its about joy too.  Later in Matthew Jesus tells his disciples, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Jesus means these words as a comfort and an aid to the disciples.   It is a comfort and aid to us too.  Recalling that Jesus is always with us, not just sometime unknown in the future, or even "Tuesday from 3PM-Wednesday 3PM," means that we have a constant call to prepare because opportunities to serve are around ever corner.   By doing such work in the day to day we will be ready no matter what happens - snowstorm, earthquake, or their life equivalents - job loss, illness, etc.  We can be ready is happiness, health, or sunny afternoon.  Being ready in faith is more than reading the Bible on Sunday (or when preping a sermon) or singing on Sunday or even working in a soup kitchen when the church group does.  It is living faith in the day to day, for yourself, for your family, and for the world.

On this snowy day in Chicago there is work for me to do.  And when the sun comes out again I'll post pictures of John in snowshoes.