If you are already dreading the winter ahead, imagine winters in Minnesota. We lived for several years in the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The winters start early and last late. Surprisingly, it is a very pleasant place to live. Minnesotans are a hearty breed, as Garrison Keeler’s Lake Wobegon humor illustrates. The humor is, of course, exaggerated for effect, but people who have lived there recognize the characters and culture he teases about. People do not just hunker down and hope for Spring. Many get out and play in the snow, ice skate, sled, snowshoe, and ski. While it only takes two inches of snow to shut down Atlanta, it would take nearly two feet of snow to have much of any effect on the local populace. At 20˚ below zero Fahrenheit, church will still be meeting. Stores will still be open and school will still be in session. Before indoor stadiums were common in the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings considered the weather the twelfth player on defense. Whatever the obstacles, human beings find a way to endure and even find happiness no matter what the conditions. After all, no matter how cold you get outside there is always a hot cup of chocolate beside the fireplace to look forward to. I wonder if endurance might be one of God’s gifts to human beings…