Back to January's Reality

Last Tuesday I sat and wrote how I wondered what was going to happen at the Mustard Seed that night, and it was a warm, wonderful night, with people coming in wearing hoodies, no gloves, sharing the cheer of a New Year and a great hockey game.

But now, with the north wind blowing and the temperature dropping, I know what kind of night it will be:

-- People wearing hoodies, and freezing
-- People rubbing their bare hands together trying to warm them before taking a plate of food
-- Lineups for hats and gloves and blankets
-- Long lineups of hungry people who have likely already run out of money and won't see any again until near the end of the month
-- People wandering in near closing time, hoping for a few minutes of warmth before heading back into the biting wind

And so the reality of a Canadian January sets in, with -20 temperatures on the horizon, and I remember that life at the Mustard Seed is not a big hockey party. However, I can still offer a smile, serve a cup of coffee, and make someone forget for a few moments about the air that awaits them on the outside.

God, be on my shoulder tonight.