The chilly breath of the coming winter whispers into the gardener’s frostbitten ears about numerous garden chores yet to be done. Planting daffodils and crocuses, clearing away the scraggly remains of the perennials, and weeding around the newly sprouted Nigella.

But it’s cold outside!

Even with an extra set of cotton gloves underneath my garden gloves, I might mistake my fingers for tasteless popsicles after a few minutes of work.

It’s cold outside! Good enough reason to stay indoors and go into semi-hibernation among the seed catalogs with a hot cup of echinacea tea. 

I really should go…to plant those daffodils! “But baby, you’ll freeze out there,” say my thawing fingers.

We often vacillate between our own plans and duties and what we really want to do. The bulbs won’t plant themselves…except the ones I accidentally left on the ground.

Ah, but it’s COLD outside!

The song bearing this title has gotten a lot of attention lately. The supposed theory in some circles is that it promotes sexual harassment, although I think it’s more like an expression of indecision. I’d like to address a few things from a woman’s point of view.

First, I really do understand the #metoo outcry that began with the revelation of Hollywood’s worst examples of trading sexual favors for career advancement. This is an ugly reality for many of us in worldly workplaces. No amount of song banning nor legislation will do much to curtail the baser instincts of men who do not love God enough to respect the weaker sex.

It has unfortunately happened to #metoo more than once or twice.

Has my refusal of favors affected my own promotions and advancements in work environments where this behavior was not only common but expected? Almost surely. Every woman has experienced this on some level.

The only way to change this is to change people’s hearts. One way to do this is to recognize that we do have a choice. The choices are not fair, to say the least. It is also not fair that overweight and short people don’t get promotions and advancements as often as those seen to be more fit or attractive. We could call this the “beauty privilege.”

Only the gospel of Christ has the power to change hearts like this. “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews  4:12, NASB). Keep spreading the gospel!

Second, many choices in life are made when one chooses to follow Christ. Looking back wistfully at what might have been, career-wise, would be the same as putting your hand to a plow and looking back (Luke 9:62). Do you want to be fit for the Kingdom? Do what you intend to do by keeping yourself pure, and don’t look back!

“No means No.”  The word “no” to sexual sins should be inscribed on our hearts long before it needs to be uttered through our lips.

If more of us wouldn’t think twice about saying “no,” there might be less frequency of these demands being made in the first place. Let’s rise up as one and re-train ungodly men to stop the harassment.

This world is not our home, although we make it as comfortable as we can while we are here. A better job or position is only temporary. We have a home waiting for us and a position of glory that will last for eternity.

Yes, it’s cold out there in the world. Tough choices are there to be made. Choose now, and choose well, and stick to it!