I’m cold and I don’t like it. I’m asking God tonight to keep the clouds over Southeast Texas so the temperature doesn’t drop a low as is predicted, somewhere around 20 degrees.
I know that my friends up north are having a much harder time than we are. When I last talked with my sister in Ohio, it was 12 degrees and snowing. I remember clearly one of our last years in Ohio we had a blizzard and no power from Tuesday afternoon to Saturday morning. There was also the time it was 26 below on the porch. The really cold day was when it was 10 below with a 20-mph wind meant I wanted hickory or white oak in the woodstove all day long. They burned the longest and hottest and meant I didn’t have to haul wood in a couple of times.
But I have been Houstonized and I live in house that was built for heat and not cold. As I’ve explained before, our homes are designed to keep the heat out. Our air conditioning systems rule. Even when it’s 105 degrees, it’s easier to cool off than to try to get warm like today. Right now, the access door to my attic is cracked, held open with a pancake turner so that the pipes that feed and empty my hot water heater won’t freeze tonight. They did once. We realized in time and were able to thaw them before any damage was done but I hope to never have to face that again. The other pipes are all wrapped but they’re still in my attic and I can’t let the temperature drop too far up there. Yes my natural gas bill will be higher next month but it’s cheaper than a plumber. And almost all the spigots inside my house are dripping for the same reason.
I picked a good week for a stay-at-home vacation to spend time with a friend tomorrow. I didn’t have to leave early today to get to work. I’m also praying that the clouds clear at sunrise so we warm up quickly and the roads will stay clear and any frozen bridges will thaw really fast so my friend and I will travel safely when we need to leave.
When I think of the homeless here, I truly shudder. I can only be grateful for my home and life that means I don’t have to face the daily challenges as they do. Our normally warm climate means they are in danger, especially those who won’t go to shelters. May God have mercy on us here and everywhere where temperatures are dropping.