On facing our Storms

This Thanksgiving two years ago had been a wonderful day, but as we were all getting our food and I placed my plate on the table my phone rang, it was my brother. As he spoke it seemed I had an out-of-body experience, he was telling me that a very good, long-time friend of ours had been killed in a motorcycle accident. This man with the wide smile and beautiful tenor voice was dead. We raised our sons together, we were friends, he was gone, and I was stunned.

We never know what a day may hold, life is like looking into a kaleidoscope at the changing shapes and colors, have you seen one? I had one, as a little girl, and loved to turn it slowly and watch the little pieces fall into the different patterns. Looking at clouds is another time that shapes you are looking at change as you are looking at them, this is because the wind is blowing way up where you can’t see it except in the changing shapes of the clouds. Just having read a comment from someone I grew close to made me think of this analogy, as it applies to everyone. We start our life journey, an infant our only shaping force, so far, is heredity. We are influenced by how we are treated, the things we see and hear and, sometimes, our impression of events is more real than the actual event. We get to a place in life where everything seems settled, and then the wind of change happens in our life, our shape becomes something we don’t recognize, and we don’t know how to deal with this new shape we are given. We adjust, the wind continues to blow and we see something different.

There are times we bring about the change because we become unhappy with our present situation, so we blow along with the wind like a balloon bouncing along in a current of ever changing wind. I have watched people. Through the years, that have faced adversity and came out shining like a diamond, changed but better for it. Others have crumbled under situations less arduous. Strength in the midst of a storm is something I greatly admire, a person who can “take a licking and keep on ticking”. Our family has had it’s share of trouble, but we are still standing, thanks to our God, who has never left us, nor forsaken us. All of us are in crisis situations of one kind or another. Some are facing financial ruin, others relationship troubles and family problems. What can make us all better, whole, healed, and able to face tomorrow?

Jesus fed thousands with five loaves and two fishes and He turned water into wine. The Children of Israel were fed manna, given water from a rock, shade by day and fire by night. Philippians 4:11-13 I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. Verse 19-20 You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity.

A hymn by Charles A.Tindley says it for me: When the storms of life are raging, stand by me, when the world is tossing me, like a ship upon the sea, Thou Who rulest wind and water, stand by me. Whatever is wrong, anchor yourself to the Rock and sing with joy to Him in thankfulness for saving you out of your troubles. Psalm 95:1 Come; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Hebrews 13:8 There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn’t change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself.

You can’t change the direction of the wind; just let Jesus adjust your sails to get you through the storms of this life! For any family facing the loss of spouse, grandparent or dear friend this Holiday, as our family is, we will make it through feeling blessed!