Lethargy and Blessings

I've been stumbling through the week thus far feeling zombie-esque, disconnected, and unable to concentrate as well as usual...with no clear reason why. Isn't it funny that when you feel this way you can't muster up enough brainpower to figure out what the cause is and thus can't figure out a solution. Maybe its a sinus infection? Maybe the onset of a cold? Maybe the weather changes are taking their toll? Or could it be the minimal exercise so far this week? Could it be the bag of yummy cookies and goodies from my sweet friend (shoutout S.H.) that I practically ate in one sitting? Probably a combination of all of these things and I imagine the general consensus right now.

This morning I had to stop for gas, usually a non-event. I got out in the upper 20 something degree weather and got the pump going but couldn't handle being out in the cold so I sat in my passenger seat and waited. There were hundreds of birds around the Exxon sign just flying around in what seemed an aimless dance. This being our coldest day of the year so far, I was baffled at the fact that these birds weren't headed South like their cohorts I've seen lately. I guess some do stick around seeing as we are relatively pretty far South, but how cold is too cold for a bird? I'm sure it depends on the bird and the wind, and who knows how many other variables. Maybe a bird expert will happen upon my blog and answer these questions for me.

Anyways, as much as I knew in my heart that these specific birds (grackles) could surely tolerate the weather or they wouldn't be there, I couldn't help myself from wanting to round them up and put them in my car and keep them warm. I sat there and pictured myself grabbing handfuls of them in my arms and placing them in the backseat and all of us sitting comfortably together in the warmth.

Inevitably that led me to think of the fact that there could be children out in weather this cold or colder and how horribly sad that is. I can't and don't want to imagine the unbearable yearning they and their mothers must have for warmth in the cold like this. Naively, I'd like to believe that really this isn't happening anywhere in the world, but I know better. Its nice to have the option to take such a painful thought or feeling and push it away because it doesn't affect me directly but many people don't have that luxury....and I'm still trying to figure out a way to somehow help them all!

The long and short of this story is that this cold weather and those crazy birds out there in it took me out of my little sheltered world for a minute and made me remember that having a home- with heat and cozy blankets and soft beds for my family is such an incredible blessing. Maybe God hit me with this sluggishness so I'd slow down and realize how truly, exceptionally wonderful my simple little life is.