The climate of Labrador is unique, a sub-arctic region, one has to love the outdoors to thrive here. The weather patterns especially on the coast seem rather random. What we would consider the worst of weather is just another passing day here or might even be an invitation to go ice fishing, hunting, or snow-shoeing.

The winter months of Labrador, as I may have mentioned before, is a beautiful and ready example of God's creation in its fullness. I think I could be here for the rest of my life and still hardly fathom the gravity of their snowfalls. The phrase "digging oneself out" of their house took on new meaning this week when I dug myself out of what seemed a couple feet of snow so I could get out of the driveway at 6 am to get to the airport. I arrive back at the manse by 9:30 am due to a flight on hold, and had to dig myself IN to get to the front door. In order to worship Wednesday evening, several hrs of shoveling by 2 of us had to take place to enable the church doors to be opened. Snow blowing/moving provides great fellowship - I'm sure that's one of the many reasons people are so close around here.

As hard as I try to at least appear to be realitively acclimatized, I can't avert my newness to these parts to the point of foolishness at times. I was so organized in getting to the airport ontime at 6am, I arrived feeling quite proud. I disembark from my vehicle to the voice of one of the airport personnel saying that I was leaving a trail behind my car. The trail she spoke of was the 35 foot extension cord, strewn out all 35 feet (frozen) behind my car, still plugged into the plug on the front of the car which typically heats the car battery overnight. I had forgotten to unplug me from the house.

At the risk of looking even more foolish, I will share one more event. I was helping a congregation member in show shoveling and soon became exhausted. All I could think of in my love of snow was that it would be nice to just plop myself into the 5 ft of it right next to me and enjoy the moment I thoughtfully remember as a child. This snow is so light & fluffy, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Well, the snow is so light & fluffy, that as I went down, I kept going down..., down to the very icey and hard bottom. To add insult to injury, once I got down there, all the snow that was displaced immediately fell down on top of me engulfing my face and body in snow. There was nothing inspiring about that - in pain, and quite cold and wet. Needless to say, Labradorans didn't need to look for entertainment yesterday, they had it in their midst.