Fact or Fiction?

The other day, I was talking to some ladies and everyone was commenting about the cold weather.  I was told that this is not normal weather for Kentucky.  Lately we've had some really cold nights (30s!) and the days don't quite reach 55. (Luckily, this week is slowly warming up to about 70!)  So as they were talking, they began telling me some old myths they had heard... but are they really myths?  I guess I'll have to wait and find out....


Fact or Fiction 1:

When these guys have a bigger brown stripe than the black ones, that means winter will be extrememly long this year.  If this is the case... we will have a LOOOOONG winter.  I saw one just today and barely the tips were black- it was mostly brown! 

Fact or Fiction 2:

If you see these start to fall off early you can expect an abnormally COLD winter.  If this is the case, we will have an abnormally COLD winter because I have seen a bunch of fallen acorns.  (According the the ladies, "early" is falling off before mid-Oct... they began falling mid-Sept)

I don't know if these are true or not, but the acorn tip actually made sense to me.  It reminded me of Matthew 6 when Jesus talks about worrying.  He says, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?" (vs 26)  I know God is not talking about squirrels here, but even the squirrels don't worry about tomorrow because God provides for them.  If we are going to have a cold winter, then God is providing early for the squirrels so that they don't have to worry.  God provides for us too, every day, but sometimes we just don't see the small ways in which He chooses to provide.  Instead, we try to see the big picture (impossible, we know only God knows the big picture) and we spend our days worrying, instead of looking at what has fallen right in front of us... little acorns to prepare us for what is to come so that we no longer have to worry. 

So... even though I am dreading a LONG, COLD winter... I know God is already making preparations for my life and I just need to pick up the small acorns and not worry--- I might need to pick up an extra jacket too ;)