Seasons are beautiful, aren't they? Well, as someone that experiences few these last years, I believe they are. Growing up I had the frigid of winter with snow, sleet, and hail. It gave way to spring with such grace. Seeing new shades of green, yellow, pink, and more freshened our souls as much as the air. We soon welcomed the sun and heat, praying that the waters of the pool would be warm enough to enter and stay without chattering teeth. And as we packed our school bags, that aroma of fall fell second to none. The crunch of leaves beneath our feet told us the days of bathing suits and tan lines were gone.
Well, I never thought I would enter a region of our country that had a season that was not taught in traditional schooling. That's right, we have hurricane season. It's a thing! Now, of course, we that live here understand that it's science and weather and pressure and heat and blah, blah, blah, that create the perfect line up for hurricanes to begin forming in the Atlantic and make their way to the good ole US of A. This is not a season you know about, or care about, until you, or someone you love, live here. Honestly, I'm shocked that this isn't taught all over the country. I would imagine Charleston would pay to have it taught in public schools in Ohio to keep the transplants (like me) out of here. And yet, here we are. We enter into a hurricane prone area without a care in the world. We are more concerned with never shoveling snow and being able to lay poolside for longer time periods to think about the bad that lays around the corner. That's just it, no place is truly perfect. You may visit and think, "Oh I love it here. I wish we could live here." But then when you move there, you find out that the hot sun that tanned you on spring break is likely to be the number two reason you refuse to leave your house. It falls a close second to the unbearable humidity that soaks your clothes before you've had the chance to create your own sweat stains. Okay, I'm rambling again. Let's get to the main point, shall we? The other day I was driving my children to dance and I noticed a man and a woman pulled partially into someone's driveway. It did not look like it was their own. They were at the edge near the road loading junks of trees into the bed of their pickup. In a moment, my eyes were open. In our neighborhood we joked that the extra greenery that had been dropped to the earth was great for the fire pits. That may be true, but the reality is that the downed wood is the heat from the fireplace for so many others. We have used our gas fireplace for warmth and lighting to keep the electric bill down plenty of times. Many homes around here have wood fireplaces. This time of damage can be used for heat, light, lower bills, and so much more. All of this had me thinking. God made sure that the hurricanes would make their destruction before the "winter" of the south. Sure, yeah, science and weather, but God created science. God created weather. The Bible teaches us that he has allowed Satan into areas and even calls him the prince of the air. And we know that he does not have full control, as Job so brilliantly shows us. He needs God's permission. What if this is God's permission of hurricanes? What if Jesus said, "Fine, you can bring storms to eastern coast of America, just do it before Thanksgiving." Look, I know this wasn't a conversation that actually occurred, but it does make you think. I think about God's timing in everything. What if Hurricane season came just after winter (or what little winter we get here)? It's been cold, dropping into the 20's and staying in the 40's. Now to finish it off, here comes a bathtub's worth of rain for each person that will flood the homes of too many to count, while the wind knocks down your trees, takes the roof off your house, and whisks in Jim Cantore. How many more people would die of hypothermia? No, instead it comes after months of grueling heat and cools the air, even if only for a few days. We can look to hurricane season - it's between summer and second summer for those that don't live in the south- as something to be feared, or an inevitable part of our life. We can tremble at the thought of multiple storms being lined up in the Atlantic, or we can say, "Now is a good time for tree removal," and save some kindling for the winter. I've seen the aftermath of hurricanes for over a decade. It never leaves me with awe and wonder. It typically leaves me thankful and grateful. Perhaps that is how that couple in the driveway felt as they loaded tree trunks. I can't say for sure that they will use it in the winter, but I saw how they could. God is with us in all things, even when destruction hits. My apologies for my rambling. I'm still just unpacking it all in my brain.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorI have a lot to say about a lot of things. Archives
May 2023
Categories |