Be Patient by Susan L.

  The racoon didn't survive the night. It's a mercy. Thank You Lord for taking him swiftly as I had asked. Apparently there is an epidemic of Canine Distemper affecting racoons in our area. The gentleman from the Humane Society said there have been fifteen calls about them in the last three days or so. It doesn't affect humans. (This was an error, he was merely sleeping. Dec.28/13)
  Weather history has been made again. The ice storm has devastated most of eastern Canada from Niagara Falls right through the Maritimes. Toronto's majestic trees toppled like matchsticks under the weight of ice and pulled down miles of power lines. There are power outages everywhere. Some may be as long as three or four days, if not longer judging from the damage.
  Most major airports were shut down but hopefully by today they'll be up and running.
  I don't know why news anchors always choose the person with the biggest complaining skills. It makes me shake my head.
  I am truly sorry your flight was cancelled, that your anticipated trip to the sunny south has been cut short but airports don't let planes fly if doing so could kill people. I am sorry you are cold but power needs to be restored to hospitals and emergency services first. I am glad the city is offering shelter for anyone to stay where there is heat and power thanks to the Red Cross. Making sure the water treatment facilities are up and running is pretty important, too. Mr. Ford, mayor of Toronto, I am sorry your shower was cold but be thankful that in being a city dweller there is running water when the power goes out.
  Toronto is not the only area hard hit by this storm. Hydro crews are working in conjunction with the Ministry of Natural Resources as hard as they can to clear power lines and roads. Roads are more important. Emergency services need to be able to go where they need to go. If the boom truck can't get to the blown transformer, there will be no power anyways. Please thank them for doing all that they can because clearing a massive tangle of branches, wires and trees is neither an easy or safe job. It must be done carefully and methodically. Some of those branches weigh hundreds if not thousands of pounds. A slip of a chain saw can be deadly. A rogue branch can kill or seriously maim a fragile human.
  I ask if you have access to some kind of heater to obey the owner's manual. If it says not to use it indoors, don't! Life is too precious a commodity to risk bending the rules.
  I know Christmas is just around the corner. A barbequed turkey is just about the tastiest thing in the world. If the scalloped potatoes end up being potato chips, so be it. Enjoy!
  "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift." Eph 4:7