The Big Clean-Up

Is everybody sick? Not mentally, I mean physically. I know of at least six people who are either getting, suffering, or recovering from cold symptoms. Several factors contribute to the rise in illnesses. First, the weather is iffy. One moment it’s sixty degrees, and an hour later it’s forty degrees. That’s not a fun situation when we’re caught outside without the appropriate outerwear. Second, warmer temperatures help germs to linger, giving us more time to be infected. Third, the back-to-back holiday celebrations brought guests  together, facilitating the spread of germs. Check out these unwanted guests:
       

                                         https://youtu.be/1xuEowtB7qg

Nothing like a strong visual image to encourage cleanliness. Doesn’t that video make you want to wash your hands, cough into your arm, and carry around a pint of hand sanitizer gel? We know whatever lurks on our hands can lead to illnesses, but so can worry, stress, depression, hate, and unforgiveness. So how do we cleanse our hearts and minds?

After the Plunge

Believe it or not, we’re winding down on the remaining weeks of winter, and in these parts, it hasn’t been that cold. Oh sure, the polar vortex visited, but only for a day or two. In fact, the last time it blew through those of us who like to take a dip in the ocean on a cold winter day did so. And, that amazes me because I get chilled during a summer breeze, so I can’t imagine doing the Polar Bear Plunge. Although this winter dip usually raises money for charity, it sounds like torture to me. Last week when they took the Plunge, I heard the barely bearable cold required that extra emergency staff be on hand. That’s one way to experience total body frostbite. Weird things happen in the cold. Like this:

                                     https://youtu.be/wsDvFMVU0hc

Unexpected storms stop people in their tracks. We had a moderate squall blow through last week, and I ended up cancelling my travel plans. It’s one thing to prepare when you know a storm is coming, but it’s another thing to get caught right in the middle of one without forewarning or protection. The storms of life come in all shapes and sizes, with some lasting longer than others, but eventually, we get through them. What kind of “spring” (benefit) have you experienced on the other side of your biggest storm?