It Could Be Michigan!

Wow, what a week it's been!  My husband and I traveled up to Michigan to meet our brand new baby granddaughter and spend time with our family and friends there, but we never expected to be greeted by the kind of weather we encountered.  Most mornings began with temps in the single digits and wind chill factors of well below zero.  Snow fell almost continuously, mounting up into giant white peaks everywhere we looked.  Driving on the highways required patience and skill.  Numerous reports of horrible accidents filled the television newscasts.  By the time our week had come to an end, Bob and I were more than ready to aim our Buick southward and exit Michigan without looking back.  Nonetheless, we wouldn't trade that week for all the gold in Fort Knox.  It was a blessed time of laughter and love shared with those who are so very important in our lives.

We arrived back in South Carolina on Monday, where the temperature was a balmy 64 degrees and the skies were a brilliant, cloudless blue.  My hubby washed a week's worth of salt and road grime off our Buick while I unpacked and reorganized inside the house.  All the while, the weather forecasters were predicting doom and gloom and issuing winter storm warnings for the whole of South Carolina.  It seemed almost surreal to me.  After all, nothing could quite measure up to what we had just left behind, so worrying about 2 to 4 inches of snow seemed like a waste of energy to me.  I guess in the end, it's all a matter of perspective.

Life is a bit like that, I think.  There are those times when things seem out of control, threatening, and even dangerous for us.  At times like those it is difficult to navigate the road ahead of us, and if we're not cautious we may end up in the ditch of despair.  Somehow we seem to make it through the storm and emerge on the other side with a greater appreciation of the clear skies and sunshine there.  Nevertheless, we may be reminded that even in the best of times, another cold blast of life can be hiding just around the corner. 

Here in South Carolina the newscasters have urged people all day long to be prepared for the possibility of power outages, frozen pipes, and dangerous outdoor conditions.  They have encouraged us all to put fresh batteries into the flashlights, wrap our pipes to prevent freezing, and keep stocked up on all the food staples.  Surely, being well prepared for the incoming inclement weather will keep our discomfort to a minimum.  And so it is with life as a whole.

Sometimes, during the bleakest winters of our lives we forget that there are sunny, warm days ahead.  Conversely, while enjoying the warmth of pleasant days, we may forget that life can change overnight and without warning.  We would be wise to make spiritual preparations that will see us through the worst of times and practice praise to acknowledge the best of them.  Living in a constant state of thanksgiving, acknowledging and praising God for His loving provisions, and carefully studying the Bible for insight into how we are to live according to the Lord's purpose and plan are all those preparations which will keep our discomfort to a minimum when the storms of life assail.

The weatherman says this snow event will only last for a day or two.  By the upcoming weekend we should be back into the upper 50's or lower 60's with plenty of sunshine.  It may be winter now, but spring is just around the corner.  And even at its fiercest, the winter of 2014 in South Carolina could certainly be worse... it could be like winter in Michigan! 

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."

(Ecclesiastes 3:1)