Today I Love Balm and this one song...Slice of Life 2014 Day 2

Good for dry skin...and the soul!

     It's been a long hard winter here in Ohio...in more than one or two ways.  The snow has been beautiful, but it's also been hard on The Man, getting out there at oh dark thirty to run the snow blower.  The snow days have been a nice break, but now that we've hit 8? 9? (I've actually lost track!) we are dealing with things like "Blizzard Bags" so as not to have to be studying in July!  The flannel and fleece are ALWAYS wonderful, but sad to say I have lately found myself craving a nice cotton sheet and a warm summer breeze in place of my nightly cocooning process involving two quilts, one blanket, and the heating pad cranked to the "broil" setting.  

     Yes...it is safe to say we are all ready for a break in the weather.  Instead, many of us are breaking in other ways.  The Man and I have both been slathering our hands with Aquaphor, the new cure all balm for winter dried and cracked hands.  (Note to self:  Do not apply at church until AFTER the "Go ahead and shake hands with someone near you" directive!)  And just this morning I looked up at the wall in the family room and saw a new crack in the wall!  The Man says the extreme temperatures from the fire in the wood burner and the arctic air outside are to blame.

     Myself...I am having a harder than normal time fighting the winter dark days...but I AM fighting.  Some days harder than others, and some days more successfully than others.  A group of us at school have been alternating Bible study with exercise, and I've been trying to keep track of my calories on MyFitnessPal app.  Yes, food has been a balm for me many times in the past.  The worship at church is also usually quite a good balm, but a few weeks ago I had myself in such a funk that I couldn't even look at the lyrics on the screen without puddling up.  To avoid connecting and potentially spilling those tears over, I decided instead to count the capital letters in the words on the screen instead of paying attention to their meaning! Quite the pathetic coping strategy, but it got me safely through!  

Good for the soul...not so sure about the dry hands!

     Today, I pulled out all the punches.  Up early, at least for a Sunday, 20 minutes on the treadmill, and a bit of Bible study before church.  And then this morning we sang this one song...I found the link for you, but it's so much better at my church; no offense to Michael W. Smith and his back up singers! Anyway...as soon as I saw the lyrics on the wall, I literally bounced on my toes.  I love that song!  The guys sing and then the girls answer and it's one big long lovely overlapping love fest of what a great and wonderful God we serve!  Yes, there is a balm in Gilead...but, just as the Aquaphor ointment must be rubbed into the skin (after the hand shaking!), one must apply it in order for it to work!  No just counting the capital letters allowed!  Dig deep in these winter days, dear friends!  Fight the dark and keep looking for something to love!