It's another cold night in Minnesota. Right now it's 0 degrees--and that's the high for today! The temperatures are falling and later tonight it will reach -3 (with a wind chill of -24). A fluffy snow has been falling all day and it's beautiful.
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| Remember, it could always be worse... Photo courtesy of Weatherman Paul Douglas Blog |
1. This is Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes and 10,000 Extreme Weather Patterns. I should never have a reason to complain. Instead, I should fully expect it to be either really cold, really hot, really dry, or really humid. If it's something other than those four extremes, then I count myself blessed and I take advantage of the beautiful weather. Thankfully, in Minnesota, we have many wonderful weather days (or, we don't, and we just appreciate the few good days because of all the bad!). :)
2. I can't change the weather by complaining! I think this one is self-explanatory.
3. Whenever I hear people complaining, I think of the Israelites in the dessert for 40 years. Those people complained. A lot. And where did it get them? No where--literally. What must God think when He's blessed me with a warm house, a full belly, and a healthy family? If all I can do with my time is complain, then I've missed something. Instead of focusing on the weather, I try to focus on my blessings. I also try to see each weather pattern as a blessing. God knows what He's doing.
I giggle when I pass people in Wal Mart and hear a conversation that goes something like this:
"Hey, Phil."
"Hey, Marge."
"Boy, it's cold outside!"
"You ain't kidding."
"Nice seeing you."
"Stay warm."
I heard this conversation just the other day. I love that we tell people something they already know.
Anyway, I digress. I was going to share the answers to my Minnesota Trivia Questions from the other day. I hope you learn something new!
Minnesota is a large state, but how large is it compared to the other states?
a. Fifth largest state
b. Tenth largest state
c. Twelfth largest state
d. Twentieth largest state
The name "Minnesota" is a Dakota name, but what does it mean?
a. "Land of Sky Blue Waters"
b. "Big Water Country"
c. "Many Waters"
d. "Clear Water"
The Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Area is called the Twin Cities and is densely populated. What percentage of the population of Minnesotans lives in the Twin Cities?
a. 30%
b. 40%
c. 50%
d. 60%
Minnesota is known for its extreme weather (the wind chill was -60 here last week and today it was 38 degrees!). What is the record high and low span of temperature across the state?
a. 106 °F
b. 133 °F
c. 156 °F
d. 174 °F
Minnesota ranks high in the nation for many things. Which one of these things does Minnesota NOT rank high?
a. We have some of the best roads nationwide
b. We have the highest percentage of citizens who participate in regular physical exercise
c. We're one of the highest voter turn out states
d. We have the second highest percentage of high school graduates nationwide
We're also ranked the lowest in all but one of these areas:
a. Lowest percentage of overweight and obese children in the nation
b. We're one of the lowest taxed states in the nation
c. One of the ten states with the lowest percentage of unemployment nationwide
d. Our teen pregnancy rate is the 8th lowest in the nation
Your Turn: What do people complain about the most where you live? I have a feeling it's probably weather! :)
*I try not to complain, but inevitably I slip up. When I do, I remind myself it could be much worse...and I think about Spring and Summer. That usually helps me put things back into perspective.
