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.)

Mowing the Grass

I couldn't stand it any longer and I mowed the front lawn today.  Today was one of the first opportunities to mow without rain changing the plans.  

I only mowed the front.  As I was pushing the mower thinking about only mowing the front, I began to wonder.  Are you a Christian that has mowed the front lawn of sin so that your house looks in order, clean, neat, and tidy but has a jungle for a back lawn filled with pride and rebellion?

Oh, I pray that I have mowed the grass and tended to the garden in the back as well as the one that gets seen from the street.  How sad it would be to have Jesus return and I'm like the whited selpchure.  

(Father God, please mow the weeds of sin from my life, outward sins and inward ones.  You are the one that can mold me and make me to what you'd have.  My desire is to be the wife and mother in this place at this time as you'd have me to be.  Thank you for promising to grant wisdom and knowledge.  In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.)

Rain, Rain, Go Away

It's raining, AGAIN!  After a recent diagnosis of anemia, rain just isn't my favorite thing.  The doctor has prescribed time in the sun as part of the healing process.  Cloudy, rainy weather only aggravates my depression which is a symptom of the anemia.  It's a vicious spiral.  Without the sun, I get depressed.  When I get depressed, I want to hide in my cave with a gallon if ice cream.  A sure fire way of avoiding the sun which only makes me depressed.

So, when the rain started just a bit ago, I cleared away the remnants of my lunch and spoke with frustration.

"It's raining, again.  Ugh, I need the sun."  Immediately, I reflected that this statement is so true.  The rain does a good thing, it waters and cleans.  Just as storms in our life can be used to water and clean our soul.  But we need the Son.  Yes, NEED.  The Son is the only way.  

Without the Son in my life, I would be holed up in the cave of sin indulging in those things that are right in my own eyes.  I wouldn't be able to see the healing power that comes from the Son.

Ah, the rain is still coming down but now my sight is focused on the eternal Son.

(Father God, thank you for the earthly rain that brings reviving nourishment.  Thank you for the trials and storms that bring change to our spirits.  Thank you for the reminder that I need the sun and the Son.  Thank  you for the salvation that You offer so freely.  Thank you for the grace and mercy that I don't deserve.  Thank you.  Thank you.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)

Encouraged

Yes, today God encouraged me through the two blogs that I follow a bit fanatically. Both had awesome answered prayers. (Thank you, LORD.)

Well, my birthday approaches. If you have a December - February birthday in Oklahoma you'll know what that means. You can plan a party but expect rain or snow if you do! As a child I would be so excited that I was having a party. Yes! No! If it was cold enough, it would snow and no one would venture out on the hazardous roads. If it wasn't cold enough, it would rain so much the creek near our house would flood and no one could get in (or out). After a while I just quit trying. I really don't remember if I ever actually pulled off a party or not. I'm sure there had to be at least one.

Somewhere along the line, God finally got it into my head that just like my birthday plans, I can plan my life but if it doesn't fit into what He has planned for me (Jeremiah 29:11) it might be washed out or frozen over. Have you ever read that verse with the surrounding ones? (Jeremiah 29:10-13) Wow, God is great!