The south has experienced quite a variety of weather as of late. Everything from rain, 85° F days, humidity, sleet, 20° F nights, and snow! One day it’s the heater and the next it’s the air conditioner! Should I wear a scarf and coat, or is it a day for shorts and flip-flops? With each crazy day of weather comes questions of “What is going on?!” merged with new perspectives of God’s faithfulness as He unfolds spiritual truths with life lessons and events that use the weather to get our attention! The following is such a story. The grandest snowfall this winter blanketed Tennessee and Georgia, my home, with 8” of glistening wonder. The white and chilly flakes began as a lovely sprinkling of fairy dust and soon became a heavy “southern whiteout.” It was a majestic sight to watch the miraculous snowflakes silently bury the grass and walkways beneath a downy throw. I stood in awe beholding these pure and dazzling flakes frolic through the atmosphere looking as though a snow globe had just been shaken. My heart raced with excitement! However, I became somewhat perplexed when my mind questioned the outcome of this beautiful yet dangerous delight. It is my pleasure to introduce to you my Aunt Judy, though I wish you could meet her in person, for words could never express the impact she has made in my life. She is “a creative” with the heart of a servant and often works in the background for Restore Ministries working on projects, praying for us, searching for retreat items, and helping me write lyrics for songs I have composed including “Restore, My Soul” our retreat theme song. She is a cancer survivor, greatly loves the Lord, and has a gift for expressing her thoughts through writing. It is with great joy that we welcome Judy Ingle to be our guest blogger for the Monday Musings post today. Be Blessed, Sherry Beneath the Snow To my dismay, my conjecture was well founded. My husband would dauntlessly tread the several inches of snow to work and my Son-In-Law would be leaving work. Intently gazing as the snow covered and hovered aloft, I became keenly aware of its unpredictable flight. I experienced an awesome and blissful couple of hours until the realization of the inevitable confronted me with a vengeance. Immediately, I started worrying. I honed my self-proclaimed skill of problem solving only to be struck by the enlightening truth that I was powerless, I could do nothing, and I was scared. Driving conditions worsened while fervent pleas from the media were issued for motorists to, “Get off the roads and stay off.” Suddenly, my thoughts were counteracted by, “O ye of little faith (Luke 12:28).” My husband slid to work as the temperature dropped below freezing, thankfully arriving safely. My Son-In-Law, on the other hand was stuck. First, he was stuck in traffic with cars having slid off the road and abandoned … and was now stuck in a ditch. A Good Samaritan pulled him back onto the road allowing him to move a short distance to a parking lot. The roads were now hazardous and impassable without a 4-wheel drive vehicle. His only known hope, his brother, was also stuck (in his 4-wheel drive). In the meantime, his wife and 3-year-old son were sledding in their back yard when pleasantly surprised by friends who were out on a snow adventure. She was surprised because the couple had never been to their home before. After a few minutes of snowballing they resumed their snowy excursion never knowing God had sent them this direction for His purpose. At this time, my daughter received the call that her husband could not make it home. He had walked to a nearby pharmacy for snacks and a drink only to find it had closed due to the inclement weather. The area had become a ghost town. He was now cold, wet, and alone. However, he was not alone. John 14:18 assures,” I will never leave you comfortless; I will come to you.” Unexpectedly, my daughter received a message of hope on Facebook from the friends who had just visited. They had returned home but were willingly going out again to help. God’s resource was in place long before their need arose. His provision materialized right before our eyes and His plan exceeded anything I could ever imagine. His provision came from a most unexpected source, unsurprisingly, it usually does. Hudson Taylor once wrote, “Too often we attempt to work for God to the limit of our competency rather than to the limit of God’s omnipotency.” The jigsaw puzzle of our lives demands we put the pieces together only to discover they do not fit. Most of us were taught to begin a puzzle from the outside starting with the four corners gradually working in the central pieces. In life, God's working is much more refined and unerring. In our bewildered efforts Jesus steps in to remind us how He is the central piece. He should be the center of our lives as He lovingly fits all the pieces together working inwardly then outwardly. Matthew 6:33 admonishes us to, ”Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things (all we have need of) shall be added…” I found a spiritual lesson buried beneath the snowy drifts. I imagined I buried all the frivolous things that try to define my life; the empty activities, the business and the numerous things that simply have no merit. Underneath the frozen blanket of snow, I, for a moment, buried these things along with my doubts, my self-pity and the broken pieces of my life. I was very much aware that once the sun would rise and the snow melted those burdensome feelings would once again resurface. However, God in his mercy reminded me that the “Son” has risen and covered all my sins and blunders. The Son can melt any heart that’s grown cold and can dissolve the “slush” that often confuses our thoughts; all the while calming the snow squalls that restrict our vision. Beneath the snow lay twisted twigs and shriveled blades of grass once lustrous from the sun. It was there I wanted my hauntings to lie forever dormant. The snow, having the property of reflection, demanded a response from me to let go and lay aside every burden and sin that so easily threatened me (Hebrews 12:1).” I recall a quote that said, “When it snows you have two choices: You can shovel snow or make snow angels.” I am finding that to embrace my circumstances In Christ is easier and more profitable to me than the hardness of “kicking against the pricks (Acts 9:5).” Boldness in prayer and expressing a constant need for Him delights the heart of God. Straightway, I experienced the greatness of God, His goodness and His mercy. My family was safe and Joy came in the morning. The sun shone and began to melt the gorgeous white fluff and my “junk” was still buried. I hope this will be an encouragement to all who read this because God can handle all the stuff we carry around and He has got us “covered.” In thankfulness I proclaim Psalm 119:27, “So shall I talk of thy wondrous works.” God desires to bless us in so many ways; in this case it was through beauty and a great lesson in triumphing over 8” of snow. Judy Ingle
1 Comment
Kathy Drake
3/24/2015 10:50:19 am
Judy, thank you so much for your beautiful words. What a wonderful story of God's lessons for us in the beauty and power of His creation. I loved reading and seeing through your eyes into the wonder of the snow and the truths of God's provision in our need. Thank you for being our first guest blogger! Your words blessed and challenged me!
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