When you think of the month of April, what comes to mind? April showers? Spring equals warm weather (at least in the south)? How about the birds beginning to build their nests and catching up on old times (like last spring's happenings and how the kids are doing now that they have flown the coop)?
Well, the last thing I would think of with the month of April starting out would be winds gusting up to 50 miles per hour; that 's what we've got here in North Texas as a nice big cold front blows in from the north.
As I stood in front of my trunk attempting to get my cold bags out for grocery shopping, I thought I was going to get knocked over. I could barely get the car door open. Then there were the empty plastic bags left in the trunk from WalMart with one getting snatched up in the wind and blown into the next parking lot in milli-seconds.
Honestly! April. Hmmm. How about sunflowers with their warm dark middles and bright sunny dispositions that look like they're smiling at you when you stop to admire them? Or white billowy clouds on a nice 70 degree day with an occasional breeze to flutter my hair bringing the sweet smell of spring?
Well, we must not forget that it is spring. And with spring, especially in Texas, I must remind myself that the winds are inevitable.
My husband remembers when we moved into our house two years ago in April, we had a two week stint of what we call winter temps that took us by surprise. So April can be quite fickle here in North Texas. It's always full of surprises.
And sometimes tornadoes. Yes, the spring and autumn months are often cluttered with volatile weather. We always hear stories from folks who witnessed tornadoes in neighboring towns and talk about what got damaged or wiped out. Texas tornadoes are part of spring's wardrobe, but it's not very pretty.
You can always tell when a strange weather pattern in emerging: the green/yellow sky that almost looks like someones's regurgitated dinner. And the birds often get really quiet; they know what's coming. And the dogs stop barking. And the cats just gaze out the window wondering where all the birds went.
But I know Who creates the wind and sends the rain and whips up the tornadoes and controls the storms.
"The Lord displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet." (Nahum 1:3,4) NLT
"He sends the snow like white wool; he scatters frost upon the ground like ashes. He hurls the hail like stones. Who can stand against his freezing cold? Then at his command, it all melts. He sends his winds, and the ice thaws." (Ps.147:16-18) NLT
Knowing this reassures me that nothing happens by accident; I can trust God to carry me through the storm, even when I feel like I might be blown away.
Because he also said,
"Peace, be still." And the storm ceased--just like that. (Mark 4:39) KJV
What storm are you facing today? Instead of being blown away by the wind, be comforted by God's peace. Even in the midst of the storm.
(But, of course, don't forget to take cover, especially in a tornado warning.)
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