They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  All the believers were together and had everything in common.  Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.  And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.  (Acts 2:42-47)

I don't remember a February like the one we have just enjoyed.  The sun was shining and the days were warm.  The flowers were raising their heads above the ground and some were even beginning to bloom.  I even had to mow my lawn.  I don't ever remember doing that in February before.  Do you remember back to the beginning of the month?  Do you remember "Groundhog's Day"?  The day some rodent who goes by the name of Punxsutawney Phil awakes from his hibernation and comes out of his hole.  On that day Phil was scared by his shadow.  We should have experienced more winter, if the tradition was accurate.

The truth is that while we enjoyed a wonderful weather pattern, most of the country did not.  California and the southwest received record rainfall which produced mudslides and other challenges.  Most of the east caost was blanketed in deep snow and freezing temperatures extending all the way to Florida.  It might be tempting to consider those events as having no effect on us in the Pacific Northwest, but that would be naive.  The next time you go to the store for orange juice expect to pay a little bit more.  All of these things are interrelated just as we are.  None of us can claim to make it on our own.  We were created to be in relationship with God and with each other.  The early church began this practice and its truth continues to this day.  We need the strength of those relationships just as much as the believers in Acts Chapter Two.