Storms Forecasted for Today

Last night's forecast for central Iowa was wrought with foreboding. Severe thunderstorms would be rolling in during the night and possible damaging hail would accompany those storms. "If you have a garage, put your cars away," the local meteorologist advised. When I woke this morning and took my little dachshund outside I realized the deck wasn't wet. "I thought we were getting storms overnight," I said over my shoulder to my husband. "They're coming," he responded. "You'll drive into them on your way to the gym," he predicted. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of lightning as I took Brady back inside to his crate and braced myself to leave for my morning workout. As I backed the car down the driveway sprinkles of water formed on my windshield. The further I drove west the more it fell, but not heavy enough to warrant a constant swish-swish of my wiper blades. I arrived at the gym and got out of the car to light sprinkles. Where's the storm? I turned on the tv when I got to the gym to see when the big one would hit and still they forecasted heavy thunderstorms for the entire day, and indeed for the next six days. After my workout and shower I walked out to the car to drop off my gym bag and towels...still light sprinkles. Where's the storm? I held out my hand palm up to the sky and wondered when it was actually coming. So often bad "weather" is forecast into our lives and we go about our day preparing for the worst. Thunder of preconcieved danger loom on the horizon and we head to the storm shelter of our inner being to protect ourselves from failure or danger before a single cloud is in our sky. Week-long predicted "rain" pelts us on all sides and we wonder if we'll ever see upper 70's sunshine in our lives again. Oh, the enemy of our souls does love to beat us down, doesn't he? Still, that's where the umbrella of the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, why our heavenly Father has given us the Sword of His Word, to shield, protect and fight against the darkening skies of bitter painful storms, if and when they come. However, today, today I choose to look up, past those storm clouds, for the sun is always shining. Oh, I may not see the Son through the clouds of doubt, fear, disappontment or frustration, but it's there. I've just got to release my faith in my heavenly Meteorologist and believe that He will burn the storms of my life away or he will give me what I need to weather those battle-storms. It may be very dark outside, the humidity of failures may hang over me, but inside, where my Lord lives, I'm dancing, I'm rejoicing in His Son as He shines His light on my soul. Whew! What a great day it's going to be!

Rain Down on Me

Okay, so I walked a 5K this past Saturday morning at 3.2 mph in 59 minutes. The goal for this week is to increase the mph to 3.3. Yesterday, Monday, I determined to walk 30 minutes at that speed and did it, which is great, but as you know if you're reading my blog, what I'm going through as I walk becomes a lesson from Jesus which becomes a new exercise cheer. Lately, I've been tempted to keep looking down at the digital read out to see how long I've walked, the eyes just keep looking down, and the Holy Spirit said to me, "Don't look down, Set your sights up higher." But, I so want to look down Father. "Don't look down, set your sights up higher. Don't look down, set your sights up higher!" So I raise my eyes higher on the wall and although I don't succeed in not looking, He drives home the point that, as my dear friend Etta told me, "The body cannot go where the mind has not been prepared to go. The Lord wants me to elevate my mind by renewing it daily!" So today I'm determined to walk 40 minutes at 3.3 mph. I know this is going to be tough, and then I hear, " Don't look down, set your sights up higher, Don't look down, set your sights up higher, Looking to Jesus, Looking to Jesus." "Okay, Lord, but it sure would be nice to actually look AT something. All I see is a bare white wall." And as I'm looking forward and raise my eyes higher I see a shadow outline of Jesus with his arms stretched out. As I keep walking it appears he is moving back and forth as if He's walking just ahead of me. "Oh, I can focus on that Lord! I can surely focus on that!" Thinking this is where He's taking me today I keep walking towards Jesus and then I start to feel drops of sweat falling from my head to my shoulders and chest and the phrase comes to me, "The sweat is melting the fat because...His love (2,3,4), His peace(2,3,4), His grace(2,3,4), is raining down on me. His love...His strength...His grace is raining down on me. Rain on me Jesus, Rain on me Jesus." And before you know it I'm at 40 minutes at 3.3 and my cheer changes to "Your love(2,3,4) Your strength(2,3,4) Your grace(2,3,4), is reigning down and in me, Your lov(2,3,4), Your peace(2,3,4) Your grace(2,3,4) is reigning down and in me, Reign in me Lord, Reign in me!" I want to interject one thing. In the midst of all this I'm very aware of my weakness to quit and my heart cries out to him in song, "I need Thee, oh, I need Thee, every mile I need Thee. O bless me now my Savior, I walk to Thee." You are my refuge and my strength, my very present help in times of struggle. Thank you Jesus!