Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Roll of Thunder

I miss certain things about the South. Hearing "y'all" in casual conversation, how much land one house sits on, and- especially- those afternoon, summer thunder storms. I may have only been here in California for a total of four weeks, but since Scott moved here in March, there have only been two days of rain. Neither since my arrival.
Mom was on the phone one afternoon (in GA- it was still the morning here) with me and "had to get inside, a storm was coming." That's when I missed it the most. I could picture it... darkening sky, low clouds, thick humidity cut by a cool breeze. The cows know it's coming. You see them gather around a tree. The bugs cease to swarm as heavily, and that rolling thunder flows above you, shaking the ground below.
When I miss something about home, I close my eyes and try to think of what I have to do here for the day... I put myself in this moment instead of reminiscing about another. "Sort the laundry, sign the kids up for swim lessons.." these were among my thoughts.
Then, I prayed, asking God for some comfort, "Please let me know this is the right place for us. I mean, there's been NO RAIN and our sprinklers still shoot up every night! How is it? I know you have a purpose for us here, so help me understand."

I took out my Bible and was led to this passage-

Job 36:26- 37:5:
How great is our God- beyond our understanding!
The number of his years is past finding out.
He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.
Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion?
See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea.
This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance.
He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach.
At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place.
Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth.
After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back.
God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding."

I mean, God just straight out told me, I don't need anything, not even a thunderstorm, when I have him. How could I not agree? I'll still struggle and fight my natural desires to control and understand everything, it's part of how I'm built. But this verse was an answer for me, mostly because I have to believe that God knows where I've been and where he's taking me. He knows where my comfort zone is- and he truely knows how to nudge me out of it. I believe "he holds nothing back" and is, right now in our lives, doing "great things beyond our understanding."

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