SNOWBALLS FROM HELL

Americans have many "cute sayings" that are understood by almost everybody. Some examples are: "Keeping up with the Jones'"; "He is as stubborn as a mule"; "Good fences make good neighbors"; "Keep your nose to the grindstone"; etc. One particular saying describes the great lack of probability of someone accomplishing something; "He hasn't got a snowball's chance in hell." (Hell, by the way, is not a cuss word but a really hot place.) Obviously, if the locale is extremely hot, a snowball would not last long.

What then are "snowballs from hell?" Americans have another saying that describes the worsening difficulties of a situation as "snowballing." It means that just as a snow ball grows in size the further it rolls, so do problems that seem to naturally grow worse as time goes by. And, the "snowball" being from hell refers to the source of the escalating events: Satan. A good example from the Bible is found in the life of David. 2 Samuel 11 and 12 describe the progression of sin that leads to murder. First, David did not go forth to battle as was the custom of kings. Instead, he stayed home and played the "peeping Tom" watching one of his soldier's wife take a bath. His lust got the best of him and he "had his way with her." She became pregnant, so David tried to get the soldier to sleep with his wife that the baby would be thought to be his. When the soldier was too honorable to do so, David plotted to have him killed. Then, the married David took the soldier's widow to be his own wife. As a result, the prophet Nathan confronted David and prophesied the terrible consequences David and his family would suffer as a result of his awful sin.

On a much lighter note, my family is going through a "snowball from hell" kind of experience. My wife saw "a really good deal" on an above-ground swimming pool. Of course, she bought it. That's when the fun began. First, our son-in-law who offered his services free of charge, insisted on digging up the "entire backyard." He required us to purchase at least one pick-up truck load of sand. Then there is to be a truck load of paving stone to surround the pool so that the mower will not endanger it. Then we discovered you have to have a five foot fence around the pool. Then we learn that there is a county requirement for us to get a forty dollar permit. Of course, the digging and the truck of sand have been ongoing and the appraisal for the fence is forth coming. And of course, we still have not gotten the permit to do the project. Won't it be wonderful to have the pool, the fence, the sand, the gravel, etc. all finished only to have a neighbor report us for not having a permit to drain our pool which would then run through her yard? Apart from several arguments and near anxiety attacks on my part, I have been able to remain married, but for how long, I would not venture a guess. My wife's bargain will probably end up costing over a thousand dollars just for the installation. Oh, by the way, the bargain pool is missing the ladder. PRAY FOR US AND OUR SNOWBALL FROM HELL!