Surround Sound

This morning I started the day by lying in bed listening to the thunder roll.  How beautiful the sound that starts way in the distance, rolls right over your head and across the horizon.  Now I sit here listening to the raindrops hit the roof and splash to the ground.  I am truly surrounded by this phenomenon known as a storm.  Have you ever considered just how amazing storms are?  How incredibly powerful lightening is?  How intense thunder happens to be?  How magnificent water is?  And, just how impressive the whole cycle is?

I am  humbled by the power of a lightening strike.  Last year I heard a woman speak who survived but lost her family to a lightening strike.  (You can check out her story at http://www.anitakscott.com.)  It's amazing.

I am so in awe of thunder.  It's the sound of the lightening.  It rumbles across the sky for miles.  I can't even see a mile in the distance.  I can barely see my computer screen sometimes.   (I guess I better go find my glasses.  After all, they do help. Ahh, that's better.)   I don't believe my kids can hear me yelling a mile away.  Mostly they aren't able to hear from the other room.  Hmm.

The rain can be gentle or pelting.  It can come down all at once and result in a flood strong enough to move a house.  It can fall over a long period of time and result in the grass growing right before your eyes.   Generally, though, it seems to fall somewhere in the middle.  It might be cold.  It might be warm.

Now, let's consider the wind.  Do you see where it comes from?  Do you see where it starts?  Do you know where it ends?  Do you know how far it has traveled?  How did it gain its strength?  It too may be soft and gentle or pelting and strong.  It is remarkable.

Today I am absorbed by the storm.  It's more than just surround sound, it's surround sight, surround feel, surround smell and surround sound all rolled up into an experience. If I weren't such a chump, I'd be out tasting the storm also.

(Father God, thank you for storms.  Thank you for the reminder of just how incredible you are.  Thank you that you hold the storms under your feet.  You are above and beyond everything the storm is.  I pray that I can be surrounded by your sound, sight, feel, taste, and smell.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)