Whatever the Weather

 Today

I opened my eyes at 7:23 a.m., delighted by the bright light streaming into the master bedroom of the condo. I hurried toward the great room. It, too, was bathed in light so bright that I squinted my eyes when I looked toward the east-facing section of the floor-to-ceiling windows that surrounded the room on three sides. The only sound I heard was the gentle lapping of the surf against the shore.

Last Night

But last night... Oh, my goodness! The wind shrieked around the exterior walls. It shoved two of the lighter-weight balcony chairs against the windows and banged them until my husband fought against it to bring the chairs inside. The wind created white caps on the normally calm waters of our portion of the Gulf of Mexico. Lightning flashed in the inky black sky. Rain pelted the windows. Even the water in the toilet bowls swirled slightly as the storm raged against the high-rise condo--as well as against everything and everyone in its path.

Today

Thankfully, after several hours, the storm passed. By God’s grace, my husband and I are safe and are anticipating a beautiful day here at the beach.

Reflections

The storm and the stillness, the darkness and the sunshine, the fear and the calm…are part of life, aren’t they? Whichever one we're experiencing at the moment will, at some point, be replaced by its opposite. By God’s grace, we transition from one to the other, trusting Him to be with us no matter life's current “weather.”

As I reflect on that, I remember a quote I'd read the day before the storm released its fury:

 I am not in control, but I am deeply loved by the one who is.

--Glenn Packiam

And I do believe, as I hope you do, that God has everything under control, even the storms of life. And as my mama used to say, “Whether He spares or shares, He will be there.” His presence with us makes ALL the difference—whether we’re experiencing storms or sunshine.

Note: To read my previous posts about storms, click here and here

A Tale of Two Farmers

Note: A short fiction story inspired by a Bible verse I read recently. Enjoy. Please comment if you'd like to.

The sun was just coming up as two farmers (dearest friends and closest neighbors) were enjoying their daily early-morning phone call.

JOHN: Looks like a pretty day.

SAM: Yep. What are you gonna do today?

JOHN: I think I’ll clean out the gutters. Been a long time since I’ve done that. I also need to trim the shrubbery. Gotta keep the wife happy you know. And she has been after me for weeks to get some of this stuff done.

SAM: Changed your mind about planting your sugarcane today?

JOHN: Yeah. I just can’t convince myself to do it today. I’m gonna do some little jobs around here instead. Get them off my mind. Free me up to focus on the planting when I get around to it, probably tomorrow.

SAM: Better do it today; it’s supposed to rain for the next several days.

JOHN: Oh, I doubt it’ll rain. That weatherman is wrong about as often as he’s right.

He who works his land

will have abundant food,

but the one who chases fantasies

will have his fill of poverty.

~Proverbs 28:19, NIV

When Storms Rage

As I write this, I'm sitting alone in the basement of our house because everyone in this area has been strongly encouraged to seek shelter in a safe place since it's likely that a tornado will form. Before I came down here, I saw the rain coming down so hard and fast that it looks like a light gray curtain. The American flag in the front yard was flapping wildly. I'd heard that possible hail is expected in some parts of the county and surrounding areas.

As I sit in the safest place in my house, I pray.

Father, be with everyone during this widespread storm that has wreaked havoc in several states and is now speeding across Georgia. Shelter us as You display Your mighty powers all around us.

We cannot prevent the storms from coming. We can do nothing to lessen their severity. We cannot change their path. Neither can we do anything about the storms of life when they-- with Your permission--arrive, some predicted (as this one is), some not. In all storms, we can only cry out to You for saving mercies and for an awareness of Your presence with us.

As I reflect on this, I recall a Bible story (found in Matthew 8:23-27) about a sudden storm that savagely battered the disciples as they rowed from one side of the lake to the other. Fearing they were going to die out there, they woke Jesus up (for He was fast asleep on the boat) and cried out, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"

Jesus immediately commanded the storm to cease and the waves to stand still. Amazed by His great power to calm the wind and the waves, the disciples asked each other, “What kind of man is this that even the storms and the waves obey Him?”

I realize that regardless of the kind of "storm" that rages in our lives, we can take great comfort in knowing Jesus is as near to us as He was to the disciples and that He will surely help us if only we’ll ask Him to. Whether He stills the storm or allows us to suffer through it, He will be right there with us.

This was taken in another state a couple of months before I wrote the above post.