Before Winter Comes

Having lived most of my life in Texas, preparation for winter was not a major endeavor. But life in Colorado is considerably different. Our lawn sprinkler system was shut down and the lines blown out about two weeks ago. Hoses have all been disconnected from the hose bibs so that inside pipes won't possibly break. Our furnace has been serviced and is working well. The bears in Colorado are foraging for food up to 20 hours per day seeking 20,000 calories per day to add 60-150 pounds of weight in preparation for hibernation. No, I am not trying to follow their example.

Of course, the hunters and skiers are updating equipment, checking supplies, making sure all licenses and reservations are in order. Snow has already fallen in the higher elevations. This Tuesday night, October 28, the temperature will drop to 22 degrees to serve as a reminder that winter is closing in.

I just read 2 Timothy 4 this past week and was reminded of Paul's request of Timothy. Paul was in prison in Rome. Some of those who had helped him in the past had now deserted him. Others, he had sent on various missions. He is aware that his imprisonment is nearing an end and death will be the conclusion. He writes to Timothy to come see him probably for the last time. He requests that Timothy bring him his cloak, his books, and his parchments. In his closing remarks in this letter, he tells Timothy, "Do your best to come before winter."

The requests that Paul makes and the warning he issues have always been intriguing to me. The cloak is easy to understand. A coat in winter is always a physical comfort. The books and parchments remind me that even with Paul approaching his death, he still is reading and writing. In other words, he plans to use the last season of his life continuing to do what God has called him to do. Although he cannot travel, he can still send encouragement and direction to churches and believers from his confinement. Finally, the reference to come before winter is not just the need for the cloak. Travel in the winter to Rome, either by land or by the Mediterranean Sea was difficult to treacherous from November to March. If Timothy didn't come before winter, Paul would probably be dead before Timothy could arrive.

Too often my basic nature leads me on a path of procrastination. This chapter four in Paul's second letter to Timothy reminds me that procrastinating can result in things that should be done, never getting done. Some of the things that come to mind include a visit or call to a sick or aging friend, fulfilling a promise to someone that will make a positive difference in a person's life, or sharing wisdom, information, or the Gospel with someone that God impresses upon you. Similar to Paul's need, this might be a good time to cull our closets and take those good clothes that we no longer use to a charity or organization that helps those who could be a little warmer this winter from a coat or sweater that would go unworn in our closets.

For some of us that are now in that group of senior adults, winter has sometimes become a season of being at home more than being out and about. What will we do with that extra time of calmness and even quietness? Perhaps that desire to read through the Bible could have its beginning when the snow piles up and the cold wind blows. Maybe winter could also become the season of using our cell phones and social media to share our insights from our reading of the Scriptures and the testimonies of God's work in our lives.

Moving from Texas to Colorado was a major change in our lives. We miss many things about Texas but we do not miss 115 degree summer heat. Instead, we enjoy seeing our yard turn white when the snow falls. But regardless of whatever state or country we live in, there are always needs in our lives and in the lives of others that we can take time to meet. Maybe this is the year to open our eyes to those needs and get started meeting those needs Before Winter Comes.