Thunderstorms

I love thunderstorms. There's something about the soft, steady patter of the rain on the window punctuated by the howling wind and a deep explosion of thunder. I can never get enough. It makes me wish I had a cozy library full of old dusty books and rich mahagony, and a deep red velvet chair to sink into with a hot cup of tea. Yes, tea and a fire in the fireplace... how lovely.

I guess for now my little green Bombay Company chair, purple chenile blanket, and fuzzy leopard print slippers will have to do. I should go make some tea, though... tea would be nice. And maybe I'll light the candles, just in case the power goes out. Wouldn't that be wonderful!

I relish these moments of solitude. My husband is amazing, and I could spend every waking moment with him and still want more, but every time I do have a moment to myself, I remember how much I love "me time."

Especially recently, some of the most incredible moments with my Savior have been in those unexpected times of quiet and reflection. God has been so faithful to us. I have never seen such obvious and timely answers to prayer as I have seen in the past week. It never ceases to amaze me how, even though He doesn't have to, God chooses to allow us to be a part of what He does. I loved how our pastor put it the other week: if He wanted to, God could do the whole Paul-on-the-road-to-Damascus thing when He wants to tell us something or when we go astray or lose perspective, but most of the time He doesn't. He teaches us to be sensitive to His still, small voice... through others, through His Word, through nature, through circumstances... how incredibly gracious He is to even allow us to know His heart, and even more to be used by Him to show others the love of Christ and meet their needs. How deep and wide and sufficient is His amazing grace!

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19)

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, beng confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ...And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christto the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:3-6, 9-11)

I think the other reason I love thunderstorms is that they make me feel so small. When I hear the boom of the thunder and realize how many millions of tiny raindrops are falling every second, I am in awe that God, my God, has orchestrated when and where each one is to fall, and knows exactly where the next one will go. But what is even more amazing, He also knows the path of every storm, every cool breeze and hot wind, every soft shower and torrential downpour... He knows.

Mmmmm. What a wonderful, warm thought on such a cold and windy night.