I was up early to check on the weather and see how much work the forecasted winter storm had brought with it.  Instead of the 6 to 9 potential inches, there was just a dusting of snow with a haze of ice underneath.  So I bundled up and headed to the church building to sweep off walks where the snow had accumulated and put down some ice melt to clear off the ice before people began arriving for Sunday School and our morning worship gathering.  As I warmed up in my office following the outside work, a few cardinals came by to play in the brush outside my window.  Their beauty always catches my attention and I made the mistake of not bringing my camera with me because I thought I was just making a quick trip to do the walks.

Always be prepared.  I understand that is a motto of the scouting organization, but it’s also a good idea for the rest of us.  Many of the wildlife and scenic nature photos that I take are possible because I plan ahead to have a camera with me.  Being prepared is more than just a good idea for weather and photo opportunities.  It is what we are called to be when opportunities arise for us to share about the hope we have in Jesus.  When I prepare for work, and even for photo opportunities, I spend time learning what is most useful in a variety of situations.  When those situations arise I don’t have to guess about what to do, I simply do what I’ve learned will be most effective.  I do have situations arise that I’ve not seen before and have no experience with so while not prepared the first time, I use the opportunity to learn so that I am ready for the next time.  As you share about the  hope you have in Jesus, there will time you encounter people that present a unique situation that you are unprepared for.  That is okay.  Take the time to listen and learn so that even in your learning you are making the most of the opportunity that exists.

Speaking of opportunities, I took advantage of a quiet Sunday afternoon to continue work on my next 31-day devotional journal.  It was good to spend time with God and make progress on this project.  I managed to do the initial writing of the devotional questions and thoughts for half of the days and trust that God will give me the words for the remaining days according to His timing and purposes.

The day drew to a close early as the outside temperatures plummeted and I needed to get some sleep in order to be prepared for whatever the morning weather brings.  While not of this morning’s visit, here is one of the cardinals who paid me a visit a couple days ago.