groundhog day... or...?

Happy Groundhog Day!!

...or not, as the case may be for those of you in cold winter climes, as it seems that the illustrious groundhog has seen his shadow and predicted another six weeks of winter. Now, for those of us in sunny Southern California, this is no dire prediction, but for you.... well, you may not be too happy with good ol' Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog predictor of the advent of spring.

"Every February 2 since 1887, the behaviour of a groundhog – a rodent in the marmot family – called Phil has been closely observed as it emerges for the day in Punxsutawney, a small town in western Pennsylvania. On Monday the current "Phil" emerged from its burrow just after dawn in front of a 13,000-strong crowd on Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill in the town, which is 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh." (look at that crowd, will you!?!)

"According to German superstition, if a hibernating animal sees its shadow on this day – the Christian festival of Candlemas – winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, according to legend, spring will come early. On this occasion, the groundhog reportedly saw its shadow. Following tradition in Punxsutawney, the groundhog communicated his prediction to Bill Cooper, a top-hatted town elder who claims to be the only person in the world to speak "Groundhogese". "

"The town, which this year attracted fans of the event from Japan, Iceland and Egypt, claims Phil has always been correct. However, the US National Climate Prediction Centre said that the animal has only been right 39 per cent of the time. " (quote and above photo from The Telegraph)

In Phil's own words... (abridged version, full version here):

"And a bright sky above me
Showed my shadow beside me.
So 6 more weeks of winter it will be."

Phil's prediction was also confirmed by Michigan's "prognosticating woodchuck," Woody, who resides at the Howell Nature Center. Woody refused to even come out of her paper-mache stump, which in her language translates to 'sorry, folks-- six more weeks of winter!'

I don't know why we entrust our spring advent forecast to groundhogs, but for some reason, we Americans love it! (are we so crazy?!?) Well, since so many living in the Midwest and Eastern states are quite tired of winter already, I think, perhaps, a change may be in order...

Let's look at the situation we have here. Take a peek again at the photo above of Punxsutawney Phil. What do you notice about him? Let me give you a hint: plumpness. Alright then, let's be honest. Phil is fat. Come on;, admit it. He is a bit on the chubby side. Adorable, yes, but fat, nonetheless! Why wouldn't he see a shadow?!

So, I have a proposal... why don't we change it from Groundhog Day to Prairie Dog Day? I mean, really... have you ever seen a plump prairie dog? I didn't think so! They're slim, slender, lean and trim! Just look... we have a prime example below (photo courtesy of my friend, G):

What do you think the odds are of this prime prairie dog specimen seeing HIS shadow?! Much slimmer (ha!) than Phil, I would say! So, perhaps... just maybe... it's time for a change...

Let's hear it for Prairie Dog Diggery!! Three cheers for Prairie Dog Diggery!! (Come on, all you Midwesterners and East-Coasters!)

* * * * * * * *

Sheldon Carr, an engineer from Newburg, Wisconsin, was unable to explain the appeal of Groundhog Day, especially to non-Americans. "There's no reason," he said. "No one understands the Yanks." (quoted from The Telegraph)

(ah, we ARE a special breed, are we not!?!)

"snow day" hope...

The past several days I've been reading fellow bloggers' tales of ice and freezing and no electricity in far-off wintry states. Their stories and photos bring back such delightful winter memories of my childhood. Nostalgic feelings and thoughts wash over me, as I remember the hopes of a child with one thought on her mind -- "I want a snow day!!!"

I remember when I was a kid growing up in Michigan, and it would start snowing heavily in the evening with a forecast of more, much more, to come. And I would begin to hope. My parents would watch the weather on tv and would then turn on the radio. I'd listen avidly before going to bed, hoping against all hope I would hear our school listed in the school closings that were already being announced. And I would hope.

I so wanted to hear it before I went to bed, so I could sleep in in the morning. Other schools were closing... but, usually, ours didn't. Undaunted, however, I would go to bed, still hoping...

I would wake up in the morning with great anticipation, look outside at what I was sure would be even more snow, and turn on the radio to listen for the school closings. My school was still not on the long list of closings, but I would start getting ready for school and continue listening to the radio... and I would continue to hope.

Unfortunately for me, our county, for some reason, rarely closed our school. All the other schools around us would be closing, but I guess ours just wanted us to "git are edjucashin." Oh, there actually were the occasional 'snow day' closings--I knew they could happen, and even sometimes did! And so I would always hope!

That hope was special. It was something more than simply wishing. There was excitement. And anticipation. And expectation. And that combination was so much deeper and richer and more powerful than a mere wish. It was an expectant waiting...and my whole heart and being was involved.

Hebrews 11:1 says: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." I know what the author was talking about. After all, I had hoped for snow days! He wasn't talking about the "wishing" kind of hope that we seem to fall into. He was talking about "snow day" hope. And as I find my "hope in Christ," I want it to be that "snow day" hope... full of excitement, and anticipation, and a very deep, very real sense of expectation.

• "...for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." ~Psalm 25:5
• "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD." ~Psalm 31:24
• "We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield." ~Psalm 33:20
• "May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you." ~Psalm 33:22
• "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you." ~Psalm 39:7
• "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." ~Psalm 42:1
• "I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good." ~Psalm 52:9
• "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." ~Psalm 62:5

  Lord, teach us what it is to hope in You with Snow Day Hope.... cause our hearts to yearn with excitement, anticipation, and expectation as we wait on You...