Extreme

I am extremely glad that Belleville, Ontario, Canada has not been wracked by the extreme weather of recent weeks in the disruptive ways plaguing another communities across North America. Just the same we have been giving careful attention to our extremities, bundling up every time we venture forth. Okay, I may be over-emphasizing my point that this weather has taken our breath away, literally and figuratively. Large areas of Toronto ground to a virtual halt during the ice storm and Toronto Hydro says it was the most challenging weather event of its one hundred year history. Now the "deep freeze" and blizzard-like conditions have done the same for much of the continent. A frost warning was issued for the Everglades in Florida, possibly the first ever, and southern cities such as Atlanta woke up to temps in the minus teens.

Of course, some are saying "so much for Global Warming" including great minds such as Donald Trump. If they explored a little further they would find that this weather may be a result of climate change. The smaller area of Arctic ice which is likely a result of global warming has changed atmospheric conditions so that the Jet Stream is pushed farther south resulting in "dun, dun" a Polar Vortex! I think these terms such as Weather Bomb and Polar Vortex are the result of the "weather-as-entertainment trend of recent years, but can we really argue that our weather and perhaps climate are not becoming more extreme?

I only say "perhaps" because weather is what we see out the window while climate is the long view. But we know that Australia recorded it's hottest year ever last year and the extremes continue. Britain is inundated at the moment and the severity of the storms has left a nation unprepared. Tornados in the States are more frequent and massive.

I don't like being an extremist (I just can't let go) but we may be creating our own "signs and portents" of biblical proportions. As a Christian I am called to live in the hope of Christ. At the same time it is my responsibility to care for Creation. Sometimes this may be an "inconvenient truth" as my wife Ruth reminded me recently.

What do you figure folks? Are we just having a throw-back winter, and we are shocked because we have become wussified? Do you believe that this is an issue of changing climate, but don't know what to do? Are you more motivated to make a difference because of your Christian faith?