Day 6 - Storms of Life

Saturday - we shopped. Clothes, shoes, food, trinkets.
You name it, we at least looked at it.
Fun times for the ladies while Tommy slept, ate, and hung out for a minute.

Friday AM, I woke up about 5:30 to this crazy loud storm. It was really loud, mostly because we were on the top floor, but it was intense as well. Now, I'm not really a morning person, and I don't get up during storms at home. However, I felt inclined to see what the commotion was, so I got out of bed and looked out the window. Wind blowing leaves off trees and rain pouring down from heaven. Not a lot of thunder and lightening, but there was some noise. I crawled back into bed and curled up, wondering if this storm had a message for me. Its message became evident on Saturday.

Friday & Saturday, the temperature dropped from 90 degrees to right around 60, and it was really messing with my head. I woke up both days with a stuffy nose and burning eyes. I thought it was miserable being sick (but not) on vacation. Then I got a phone call from my sister, telling me to check a message of Facebook. I wasn't able to until we got back to the resort. I went in my room and closed the door, only to read about a dear friend who lost a loved one. I had a suspicion since I'd just discussed this friend the day before with the same sister, but it didn't keep my heart from breaking for and with her.

What can you say or do in the midst of the storm? We're grateful for "being inside", for the protection the Father wraps around us as we wait it out, so to speak. We're thankful for "umbrellas" when we've got to be in the middle of it, but what if our umbrella blows out or can't be found in time? What if it's just us vs. the wind, rain, thunder, lightening, and overwhelming wave that floods our souls?

Today, I read a novel based on the story of Esther. She was an orphan raised by an older male cousin who never married and became queen of a country whose eventual #2 leader wanted to eliminate all traces of the people that shared her blood and God. Talk about a life of storms! How many times do you think she wanted to run away into the safety of the foreign culture? To just be "normal" like everyone else around her? And yet, she chose to stand up, even if it meant her life.

Our storms are not quite like Esther's, but they're just as impacting on our lives. For Esther, it was like she couldn't get a grip on life before being tossed into another storm. For my friend, it may seem like darkness all around, and maybe she's feeling windblown or unfairly treated right now. Well, you may be wondering what I did in this situation. I got her a pair of socks. Why? Because she likes comfy socks. Granted, I bought them before I heard the news, but it wasn't about timing. It was about walking with her, mourning with her, wanting to empathize and be there for her, just like a pair of comfy socks.

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

¹For everything there is a season, and^A)">(A) a time for every matter under heaven:
²a time to be born, and a time to^B)">(B) die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; ³a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; ⁴a time to^C)">(C) weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to^D)">(D) dance; ⁵a time to^E)">(E) cast away stones, and a time to^F)">(F) gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to^G)">(G) refrain from embracing; ⁶a time to seek, and a time to^H)">(H) lose; a time to keep, and a time to^I)">(I) cast away; ⁷a time to^J)">(J) tear, and a time to sew; a time to^K)">(K) keep silence, and a time to speak; ⁸a time to love, and a time to^L)">(L) hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

Mordecai reminded Esther of these things: ¹³ Then Mordecai sent back word to Esther: "Just because you live in the king's palace, don't think that out of all the Jewish people you alone will escape.¹⁴ If you keep quiet at this time, someone else will help and save the Jewish people, but you and your father's family will all die. And who knows, you may have been chosen queen for just such a time as this." Esther 4 (New Century Version) Solomon also speaks to myself and my friend now. Even though it may seem harsh or sound insensitive, the words of the wise king are still very true.

Storms are necessary for new life, new beginnings, refreshing, renewing, revitalizing, and removing what is unclean and unnecessary from our souls. No one likes it when it rains outside, but they know following the rain is clarity, understanding, and truth - life is more vibrant than before the storm. (Unless you live in the south, where it's a little humid and a little foggy sometimes) God even reminds us in Rev. 21:4, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain, because all the old ways are gone". One day, we will no longer mourn with those who mourn, but we will rejoice as one body with our Father!

Thank you, Lord, for the storms. May we not be double-minded during them, but persevere through to show ourselves tested and true. May we allow time for mourning, but walk in trust and faith, knowing we will rejoice in and with You for eternity.