Archive - January 2014

I must confess, I finished this book weeks ago but haven’t been able to form coherent thoughts regarding my opinion of the book and whether or not I would recommend it to other people.

Blue Like Jazz is a mostly autobiographical telling of Donald Miller’s journey to God. Read More

I couldn’t decide what to wear this morning. Ever have that problem? It’s 30 degrees outside, so I need to dress warmly. But it’s 70 degrees at my office, so I aim for warm layers. Then again, I have youth group tonight at church so I want to look cute, unless the youth minister decides to play a game, which means I will wish I was dressed practically and had tennis shoes.

Balancing these rambling thoughts proved tricky , especially since I was still anchored in bed under my covers. I ventured into the closet, rummaged through my pile of sweaters, made a decision, and topped it all off with a scarf.

I went about the rest of my morning routine and sang Before the Throne of God Above on my way to work. Read More

I like to view myself as an independent person – a woman who can get tasks done without any help and without shedding much sweat over the situation. But, in the stillness of my quiet times with the Lord, He reminds me that I need Him. He is the breath-giver, heart-pumper, and all around holding-things-together-er.

Still I find myself voicing some of these declarations of independence:

“Nae, do!” AKA Stubbornness

According to my parents, this was my first motto. Whether it was feeding myself or wearing big girl panties, Read More

The weather forecasters boast that their VIPIR 7 Storm Centers, Doppler radars, and future casts are the most accurate in the area. And yet, twice in the past 30 days they have promised us snow in West TN and snow has yet to come.

Our initial reaction is to yell at our chief meteorologist on the tv screen and marvel at their inaccuracy.

How pitiful is that reaction? Grown people sitting on the couch mad that they don’t get a snow day even though the weather app on their phones promised 2-3 inches. (For those of you in the north like Montana, I’m sure you’ll excuse this southerner for her lack-of-snow complaints.)

I’ve been contemplating the weather the past two days and tried to figure out exactly why the weather forecasters are unable to be correct when a very simply, duh-like statement dawned on me. The weather people, like me, are not in control.

Imagine with me, for a moment, that even the most ancient of cultures employed weather forecasters. How do you think they would have responded to:

• The sun standing still for an entire day and night.
• A sudden pouring of rain from the sky that flooded the entire world.
• Fire falling from the sky and demolishing and entire town.
• Raging storms on the sea that suddenly stop.

Psalm 148 lists all of creation praising the Lord, including the lightning, hail, snow, clouds and powerful winds. Our God is in control of even the weather.

In a week when I am tired of the temperature fluctuating like a yo-yo, I am reminded that I serve the God who is in control. As the sun rose this morning, the Lord renewed his mercies to me once again (Lamentations 3:22).

Rather than complain about the cold, the lack of snow, or even the abundance of snow, I hope we can all respond just as the author of Lamentations did in the following verse: “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.”