Genesis and Global Warming

I was talking to a coworker who is a believer and is also horticulturally-minded. We were talking about the cycles of rain and drought that the Raleigh area has experienced. I recalled how we had a particularly cool and wet summer in 2003. I remember because I learned about someone at my church who had put sod down in his yard and asked us to pray for rain. God seemed to answer those prayers!

We're now coming off one of our worst droughts in history. We've started to get more rain lately though. I'm not sure if we're catching up or if we're just not losing any more ground. At any rate, the rain is certainly welcome.

As I was talking to this guy I thought about the account of the feast and famine in Genesis. You may recall how Joseph came to power in Egypt because he interpreted Pharaoh's dream about the seven fat cows followed by the seven thin cows as well as the seven good ears followed by the seven lean ears.

What would Al Gore do with a modern version of this? Imagine if we had seven lean years. It would all be because of how we're polluting the world, right?

My point is that a trial always seems severe when we're in it. I jog on a hill near my house and I can tell you that it is a tough hill to go up. However, from an airplane the hill doesn't look so tough.

Let's try to keep some perspective on things.

Missing the Cold

As I wrote in the other blog, it is crazy-hot today. I like to think of myself as being someone who can handle some extremes in temperature. After all, I lived in Florida for 3 years. I also grew up in Ohio. Now we've been here in the South for about 4 1/2 years. We understand that the summer of 2003 was particularly mild and rainy, so we got eased into Southern heat. The past 3 summers have had more intense times. We've come to expect a week where the highs are around 100 every day. This is one of the two weeks we've had like that.

I suppose it's easy to say when the weather is extreme, but I do miss living in a colder climate. I thought about that as I got in the car and actually started to sweat more than when I was walking in the sun. I have no idea what the temp was in the car, but it had to be well over 100. Fortunately, the air conditioner works very well in the Camry, so it is only a matter of a few minutes before we get some cold air relief. Nevertheless, it does take a while for the air in the car to change, so you end up with cold air blowing on you while the rest of the car is sweltering.

I think back to times of getting into a really cold car. I remember when the temp was below -20 for two consecutive days in Columbus. They actually canceled classes that second day, which is not something that OSU does lightly. I remember going to pick up my roommate's girlfriend's sister at her job. My car had this habit of starting great the first time, but once it got warm I had to use a pen to prop open the choke on the carburetor. I remember how my fingers got cracks almost immediately upon touching the cold metal on the clips to take the air filter cover off. Still, looking back, I think that is more bearable than getting into a really hot car. I feel like I have an easier time warming up than cooling down.

I have to remind myself that one of the great joys of North Carolina is that I can go running year-round. Ice storms are the only thing that will slow me down. This isn't the case in Ohio where snow can linger on untended sidewalks for weeks. I also think of the shady spot in the lawn where there would be a patch of ice until just about Easter, or so it seemed. I need to keep reminding myself of how nice the spring, fall, and winter is here because summer is just brutal.

I suppose that this is a good reminder too:

Psa 118:21-24 ESV
(21) I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
(22) The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
(23) This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
(24) This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.