June 14th, 2020: Being in a Thunderstorm
We're can get amazing thunderstorm where we are and yes, we got one
yesterday evening. Tons of water came down in a hurry in a midst of
thunder. You might think that I am crazy but I just love thunderstorm.
It reminds me a lot of where I grew up and what we used to do when it
rained like that. Some of the stuff is not kosher to mention here.
It is always a welcome relief from the heat.
We
can get amazing thunderstorms where we are and yes, we got one
yesterday evening. Tons of water came down in a hurry in the midst of
thunder. You might think that I am crazy but I just love thunderstorms.
It reminds me a lot of where I grew up and what we used to do when it
rained like that. Some of the stuff is not kosher to mention here.
It
is always a welcome relief from the heat. It also cleaned out the
stuffy air. The problem is flooding. Sometimes, it might create
flooding. Well, in Vietnam flooding is viewed as part of life in some
areas. It is like a long and cold winter in Canada.
Now
I cannot just run around outside and have a shower when it rains. Being
free and being afraid at the same time is an interesting feeling. Many
years ago some Vietnamese boat people told me that they had the same
feeling when they were on their boats trying to escape Vietnam.
I
was with a group of campers canoeing on a lake in Central Alberta a few
years back when we caught in the middle of a thunderstorm. We could not
stop because it was more than dangerous than trying to push ahead to
the closest shore. So within a minute, my mindset changed from leading a
fun outdoor trip to an exercise to keep 30 boys safe. Most of what I
decided to do then was based on both instinct and memories I had of that
lake.
Sometimes we enjoy and thrive on the
challenges of life. We are stretched and learn new things. Sometimes we
have to go through things in life we would rather not. We encounter
moments of delightful surprises and moments of terrible fear. Sometimes
we plan for everything in order to spend all of the time dealing with
what is not planned. Sometimes it is wonderful to get a break in the
middle of life's craziness. It was in these moments that we regain
perspectives and clarity about who we are and where we are going.
My
relationship with God is like in the middle of a thunderstorm at times.
I am excited about discovering new aspects of life that I am not aware
of. I am terrified by the consequences of not being in control. My plan
for life might not be God's plan and it might be changed. I am content
and yet not always comfortable. Sometimes I need to depend on the
history of God's goodness over me to face the fact that the carpet is
being pulled under me. In the end, I always pray for a moment of
solitude so that I can see, hear, and understand clearly. I hope that my
heart will be cleansed and my presence becomes a comfort to others.
John 5: 30
"I
can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just,
because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me."
