Wow! We have snow this year. Not your little dusting every once in a while. Not your snow hard and then melt in a day. Not your snow hard and then freeze into solid ice. No, I mean real snow. Like a over 6 feet so far this year! With about 3 feet still on the ground. Man, this is good. My mind is constantly drawn back toward something God wants to teach me through whatever is going on around me. And, with this snow, it is no different. As this beautiful white stuff piles ever so deeper around me, I can't help but think of the other things that 'pile' up around me. Some not nearly as pleasant as the snow. I think of the unfinished jobs from fall. The ever increasing list of people to call. The constantly growing mountian of papers and packets of papers on my desk, in my files, on the floor, etc. I think of the people who seemingly pile up around me that are so desperate for something else in life. If you never have never looked beyond the eyes, beyond the superficial smile, beyond the small talk of those around you, start. I have really been seeing the hurt in people lately. A hurt that they won't just talk about. Not a hurt arm, head or whatever...a hurt of the heart. Too often they don't even know what it is. It is explained as... A drinking problem... A drug problem... A habit of pornography... I just want to be left alone... I was just born this grumpy way... My kids are driving me nuts... My spouse is not right for me anymore... I feel empty... or a mental illness. Here's the thing, Jesus came to heal the broken, bind up the infirmed and to set free the captive! As followers of this miracle worker, we need to have our eyes opened to the people who are pilling up around us. Maybe it's a friend, co-worker, child, spouse, or someone in the body of Christ. I believe that the people that you and I see every day are not just accidentally placed in front of us. I believe that we should work while it is day, make the most of every opportunity and love those around us like Jesus did. See, it is very simple to do. Start with a smile. Give your friend a real hug. Tell your spouse or your kid, "I love you." Reach out with Jesus to those around you, just like you would want to be reached out to if you were the one piling up around them.