Storms

As I write this winds continue to howl furiously throughout the woods in our backyard. 

The weather was expected to be severe late tonight, but as we drove home from dinner we were surprised to find ourselves driving into heavy rain and severe lightening.  The severe weather had arrived much earlier than predicted.  As we neared our home, we drove deeper and deeper into the severe storm that was passing through Georgia as it continued it's way North East.  My Mom called and warned us a tornado had been spotted.  I called my brother and he confirmed (from his basement in Birmingham, no less, that what they had just experienced was heading our way).  My neighbor even called to see "if we were aware of the situation."  I was and the more phone conversations I had and the heavier the rain got, so were my girls.  It was a long and intense 30 minute drive home. And I was surprised to feel my legs quite weak as I stepped out of the van and into our garage.  I didn't doubt God's sovereignty, but I was definitely anxious to get home.

One of my daughters was particularly alarmed by the whole incident.  As the weather calmed and the tornado warnings expired, we all made our way up from the basement and got ready for bed.  When I went to tuck this one particular child in she asks, "Momma, how do I become a Christian?  That storm scared me."  

Wow.  What volumes those two sentences spoke.

Long story short, I went on to tell her that I was glad she wanted to be a Christian, but just because she wanted to be a Christian didn't mean she wouldn't have severe storms in her life.  

The photo above is one of my favorites of Momma and me.  

This week my Mom learned that her cancer has not grown in 6 months and that her liver, which was cut when the 7+pound cancerous tumor was removed, had grown back and was fully functional (except for the cancerous tumors remaining) and that because she was so healthy, she was now able to be put on the liver transplant list, meaning that she had the possibility of being rid of cancer!  This news came out of nowhere.  No one expected this option was even there!  When Momma told me, I really felt like squealing, except that I was really in disbelief at the news:).  It was such good news to just hear the hope in her voice.  I hadn't heard "Momma" in so long.  It just brought tears of joy to my eyes. 

As I walked out of my daughter's room tonight, I thought about the statement she had made and I thought about my crazy, stressful week that just seemed over the top exhausting and increasingly more frustrating with every day.  I also thought about Momma.  

Yes, being a Christian doesn't eliminate the storms in our lives.  But being a Christian allows us to use them to grow our walk and endure them with only bruises rather than breaks.  

How often do we make our storms more severe by being completely caught off guard by them!  And how much more dangerous do they seem when our view of who we are is more self centered than Christ centered.  

What a neat moment I had with my sweet girl tonight. 

What an amazing door that was that was opened tonight. 

And what a reminder I got from tucking a child of mine in bed.

May we remember who are maker is ... He who made Heaven and Earth!  And may we keep our eyes on Him no matter what storms fill our days. He has a plan and He will carry us through.  

Goodnight to my soldier, who has his own storms of sorts to battle, yet amidst the storms always seems to make time for me like time is all he's got.  We all miss you! Thank you for the letters you wrote to each of us.  They all came today.  However, I think Kate might have been just slightly disappointed when she opened hers and all that was in the envelope was a note written on a tiny brown piece of  paper from a notepad.  Not sure what she expected, but I'm thinking by her response ... that it wasn't that.  Just sayin':):).  and you know you love her!! 

Love you ...