Snow days

As I write this, the parish office and school is closed due to the blizzard last Friday. The children today do not go through the same thing that my sisters and I had to endure. I remember when I was a kid, sitting in front of the television watching that scroll at the bottom of the screen as the “C” cities and schools were coming to an end, with the hope that “Des Moines Public Schools” would be on the list of schools that were closed. If it passed by, there was great disappointment, but still hope, it might pop up the next time around, and if it did, there was much rejoicing from us kids!

For kids, it is something that will make them happy, even if it does not have the same feeling for mom and/or dad. I remember, most of the time, we would sit and watch some TV for a while, maybe play the Atari, and then later in the morning, we would bundle up and play in the snow until our teeth were chattering and we finally went back inside to warm up again. Many people now also have the opportunity to be able to work from home during times of inclement weather. Being that I have access to my email and to the office phone from home, Fr Ryan and myself went up to the church for the 7:00 Mass to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice with about 10 people and then we went back to the rectory. That is what I ended up doing during the Friday blizzard- responding to emails and writing this letter.

For most of the kids (and some of the teachers), especially early in the winter, the thought of a snow day is a wonderful thing, they get to stay home and play. Being able to stay at home and play is one thing, but something else we can do is to also spend some of this extra time with God. Since it was quiet here at the house, I also got some extra time to pray. I often time recommend during these times of bad weather to say a special prayer for those who have to be out in it, not just the police and fire personnel, but also those others. Pray for safety for those who help to keep the power on, for those who work in emergency rooms, hospitals, care centers, and clinics as well. Pray for those who work at grocery stores and the many, many other people who have to be out in the weather. We can also take that extra time to pray for our families and friends. The example of prayer that we show our children is a wonderful thing. The other thing that I would remind us to pray for, is for those who do not have the ability to get out of the cold, those who are homeless. Our prayers as well as the other help that we give, whether it is financial, or physical help, can make a big difference in their lives. Know that I was and am praying for everyone here as well!

God bless,
Fr. Ken