Celebrating a New Year and a Birthday!

Friends,

Last night my partner, Jim, and our daughters and sons-in-law shared a lovely dinner out to celebrate Jim's birthday (which is actually today, January 2nd). Life is good. Jim is now sixty one (and I am not that many years behind!).

I asked Jim if he ever remembered there being a thunder storm on his birthday! The answer is no--but we are having much rain and a little thunder today. I know George Bush doesn't believe in global warming (or, at least he doesn't believe in doing anything about it), but the weather continues to be unusual here in southern Wisconsin. We did have a good bit of snow in the weeks leading up to Christmas, and it got plenty cold, but we've been having a thaw going on for about a week or ten days now. I can remember the traditional "January thaw"--a day or two of warm weather usually in late January that would make some snow melt a little bit and get slushy. But having a long period of thaw during the darkest part of the year is highly unusual, but becoming more usual all the time.

The snow, which had accumulated to about 20 inches, is now almost gone. With no snow-cover and a little sunshine things will warm up more. I should be thankful that our heating bill (and the heating bills of the churches for which I work) will be somewhat moderated, but the downsides of climate change are worrisome. That our government refuses to recognize and address this threat is a shame.