Up and Down Weather
Most of you that know me well are aware that I have an obsession with all things WEATHER! When I had my first baby she had colic and we decided to hook up to cable. In those days there was not a lot of late night television and my baby's "uncomfortable" time didn't start until around 11 pm. So, as I stood in my living room, bouncing her in the middle of the night, I would watch hours of Jim Cantore of the weather channel...pretty much all the programming that was available through the night back then. That was the start of my love for the weather...sunny, windy, rainy, snow, thunderstorms, tornadoes, high pressure systems, low pressure systems...all things weather.
This winter the weather has been up and down and very interesting to follow. From winter temperatures in the 80's to snow flurries; from rain and flash floods to sunny days and days of thunderstorms. We have had so many up's and down's. In the same week we had snow showers and then temperatures in the upper 70's. "Fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word." Psalm 148:8
Life can mirror the weather...we can have sunny bright days today and tomorrow can bring struggles that seems like storm clouds over our lives. In our lives we can one day be basking in the warmth of good times, friendships, happy memories; the next day we can drown under torrential rainstorms of trials and tribulations. Some days in life are like those days after a wonderful snowfall...white, peaceful, still...hope and brightness that bounces off the blanket of newly fallen snow. And then there are days that we feel the sting of hail hammering us and harsh winds that blow so hard we are uprooted. Our hopes, our faith, our joy shattered, torn and uprooted by life's challenges...sickness, financial problems, relationship issues. Real life problems sweep across our lives like a no'easter blows through. Hopelessness and despair can can fall down upon us like a cold front drives down from the north.
The weather is made and controlled by God! "When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth, He makes lightning for the rain and brings out the wind from His storehouses." Jeremiah 10:13. God is aware of every raindrop that falls, every breeze that blows, every ray of sunshine. And like the weather God made us...He is aware of every single thing that blows into our lives. And He has a plan and a place of shelter for us. God has an advisory for every weather systems that travels through our lives. God, our Father, our Protector, knows what weather systems are going to hit next and has an emergency plan just for those times. God has given himself to us 24/7, available with open arms to run to. He can give us shelter from the storms of life...from the despair of hardship, from the fear of sickness, from the swaying of our faith. But just like we prepare for our weather events we need to prepare our hearts and minds for the life events that pass over every single person in every and all places.
And what does that "preparedness" look like. It starts with heartfelt prayers. Like the rising and setting of the sun so should our prayers, thanksgiving and conversations with God. "Evening and morning and at noon, I will cry out to you and He will hear me." We should know of God's promises and stand on them, hold them close to us, remember them and call on them each and every hour."Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for He who promised is faithful." And lastly we should surround ourselves with other believers, other weather watchers that will help keep us focused on our "preparedness" plan...family and friends that will lead us to our Lord's feet at the first sign of storms coming, those special people that will help us seek shelter "under God's wings" and help us weather the elements until the sun shine bright again! "The Lord, our God says, I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation." Psalm 91:14
This winter the weather has been up and down and very interesting to follow. From winter temperatures in the 80's to snow flurries; from rain and flash floods to sunny days and days of thunderstorms. We have had so many up's and down's. In the same week we had snow showers and then temperatures in the upper 70's. "Fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word." Psalm 148:8
Life can mirror the weather...we can have sunny bright days today and tomorrow can bring struggles that seems like storm clouds over our lives. In our lives we can one day be basking in the warmth of good times, friendships, happy memories; the next day we can drown under torrential rainstorms of trials and tribulations. Some days in life are like those days after a wonderful snowfall...white, peaceful, still...hope and brightness that bounces off the blanket of newly fallen snow. And then there are days that we feel the sting of hail hammering us and harsh winds that blow so hard we are uprooted. Our hopes, our faith, our joy shattered, torn and uprooted by life's challenges...sickness, financial problems, relationship issues. Real life problems sweep across our lives like a no'easter blows through. Hopelessness and despair can can fall down upon us like a cold front drives down from the north.
The weather is made and controlled by God! "When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth, He makes lightning for the rain and brings out the wind from His storehouses." Jeremiah 10:13. God is aware of every raindrop that falls, every breeze that blows, every ray of sunshine. And like the weather God made us...He is aware of every single thing that blows into our lives. And He has a plan and a place of shelter for us. God has an advisory for every weather systems that travels through our lives. God, our Father, our Protector, knows what weather systems are going to hit next and has an emergency plan just for those times. God has given himself to us 24/7, available with open arms to run to. He can give us shelter from the storms of life...from the despair of hardship, from the fear of sickness, from the swaying of our faith. But just like we prepare for our weather events we need to prepare our hearts and minds for the life events that pass over every single person in every and all places.
And what does that "preparedness" look like. It starts with heartfelt prayers. Like the rising and setting of the sun so should our prayers, thanksgiving and conversations with God. "Evening and morning and at noon, I will cry out to you and He will hear me." We should know of God's promises and stand on them, hold them close to us, remember them and call on them each and every hour."Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for He who promised is faithful." And lastly we should surround ourselves with other believers, other weather watchers that will help keep us focused on our "preparedness" plan...family and friends that will lead us to our Lord's feet at the first sign of storms coming, those special people that will help us seek shelter "under God's wings" and help us weather the elements until the sun shine bright again! "The Lord, our God says, I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation." Psalm 91:14
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