I am thankful for the men of my father’s generation that stood up and fought the enemy, especially as we remember Pearl Harbor and the attacks on in 75 years ago.  Because of these men and women, we are free today, even though many of those men did not come back.

Oregon has officially begun the winter phase of our four seasons, lots of snow in the mountain, freezing temperatures all over the state and hazardous driving conditions are either happening or will shortly.

I asked some friends from Prineville if they could remember any closing of the schools for snow days – none of us could, as a matter of fact we were pretty sure we didn’t have any.

One lady mentioned that the girls were required to wear dresses, not pants, and their legs were freezing.  I would imagine that rule has been changed.

When we moved to The Dalles we found that driving here was different than in Central Oregon in the winter.

In our neck of the woods, growing up, we had retreaded walnut tires from Les Schwab that got us through on the streets and roads with little problem.  Had use a bit more care, but not a real difficulty driving in the snow.  The snow is drier there, and while it can be slick, it isn’t real dangerous – as long as you didn’t hit black ice.

Up here, however, there is not only snow, but freezing rain and ice, not just black ice, but sheets of it.  Crossing a road with a slight grade in this weather is an adventure, doesn’t matter if driving or walking.

The first year we were here they closed the Gorge for a week.  I couldn’t believe it, what are these drivers, a bunch of wimps?

The Gorge, because it cuts through two mountain ranges and therefore maintains an altitude, along the river, of barely a hundred feet in most of the areas, is more susceptible to the warmer weather from the ocean AND the arctic weather, which pushes the warmer weather back to the ocean and the result is ice covered freeway.

In addition the winds in the Gorge during these storms can go into the 80 mph range.  Not a good combination.

The state sets road blocks on I-84 at Troutdale and, usually, Hood River (although we have had them here in The Dalles) and not allow any traffic to go through.  Although I did ‘badge’ my way through a couple of times, the last time I did it was the last time I was foolish enough to do it; lesson learned.... 

Wind hits every window in a vehicle with its whirl wind effect, it is easy to get turned around, and definitely easy to find yourself sliding all over – to allow cars on this treacherous road in those conditions if an invitation for many MANY accidents – it is safer for all concerned to have the road blocked.

There are ways around it, Highway 14 in Washington, which also follows along the river but doesn’t seem to get the same weather condition.  Then most of us just go over Mt. Hood and come back to Hood River, or go into Madras and then up the highway to The Dalles.

I have spent many hours of many days on these roads through the years, pushing people out of spots, investigating accidents, helping where I can and trying to explain to people who are from out of the area and don’t understand what winter driving conditions are in the Gorge – and why we won’t allow them to drive through it – especially truck drivers.

Now, I leave it to my compatriots in blue and brown uniforms and hunker down in a warm living room, reading a book, writing or watching television.  Much safer.

It is worth it though; Carla has a much longer growing season for her garden.

And, by the way, they DO close schools here.  We had a school superintendent from Anchorage, Alaska shortly after we moved here.

He didn’t believe in school closing for snow days – in Anchorage snow is not an excuse for missing anything. 

A couple of parents took him around to where the buses were going to have to travel to pick up the kids, over those icy slick roads.  He changed his policy – and it was a good idea.  

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John 11:39-44  Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

⁴⁰ Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

⁴¹ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

⁴² And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

⁴³ And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

⁴⁴ And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Why do I limit my God?

Why do I not believe He can do all things?

I know He can, so why do I have so much trouble to put those beliefs in action?

God has carried me through many struggles in my life.  None are huge, there is no point in comparison – each of us struggle and must deal with what is on our plate.

But Jesus healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, brought back to life those that were dead, calmed troubled seas and performed many other miracles.

Part of it, I know, is that I can see what I am going through, I can feel what it is doing to my mind and emotions.

God can seem to be so far away.

It is like the tyranny of the urgent.  We have our plans interrupted because something comes up that requires immediate attention.  Some of those things can be planned for, but many cannot and we are left with either doing what needs to be done right now, or making an evaluation and realize that they really aren’t all that important and go with our plan.

I allow too many things to interrupt my relationship with God.  My mind wanders as I pray and it is difficult focusing on those things I need to do in my prayer life, praising and worshiping God, listening to what He has to say, praying for others, reading my Bible and assimilating His Word into my life.

AND I am retired.  There is less on my plate now, I can set my own schedule without, for the most part, having to work with others, so why don’t I spend more time with Him?

As I do spend time with Him, as I do take the time to read and apply His Word to my life, I find that my mind is at ease and His life is clearer to me.

It is a mindset.  I can remember some of my busiest day, where I deliberately made sure that I had spent time with God, were the ones that God was continually with me.  He lifted me above the fracas and allowed me to see clearer what needed to be done.  Most of the time they were my most productive days.

While we can’t always be on a mountain top with God, unfortunately we have to deal with the world, we CAN remain in a constant state of communication and while we may not realize it at the time, He intervenes on our behalf and makes things more palatable for us.

Most of what we go through, if we allow Him to use it, can bring us closer to Him.  It changes us for the better, it may make us more compassionate, it may make us more insightful into other’s needs, it may soften us and make us more approachable to those who have need of our talents, it changes us.

I know that the God that raised Lazarus, is the same God that gave promises to us that He would be with us always, is the same God that died on the cross of Calvary, rose from the dead and is now at the right hand of God intervening for me.

It isn’t up to God to draw me closer to Him.  It is up to me to stay closer to Him.

It reminds me of the story of a couple of older people, they are driving along and the wife looks at her husband and says, “we used to sit so close together when we were driving – what happened?” 

The husband’s reply was, “I didn’t move.”

God doesn’t move, He is at the same place He was when He created this world, when Adam sinned, when He sent Christ to die for us, when we accepted that salvation on our knees with tears in our eyes – I need to move closer to Him, not the other way around.

Later, Art (-: