A display of His Splendor!
Sometimes every single sign points to one particular scenario and then we wake up to find everything’s changed!! Nothing is as was expected. Sometimes the changed expected outcome is a good thing; other times not so much. Many situations may bring mixed reactions depending on each individuals perspective! In the meantime we have a decision to make. How will we react or respond?
By noon yesterday, most of metro Atlanta began to shut down. Schools let out early or closed; o and staff left at noon and some businesses as well. We were in for mixed rain turning to sleet and later to snow with expected accumulations ranging from .25 ” of ice up to 4″ of snow. Temperatures hovered just above freezing. At 1:30 I found myself driving home in very hard rain and as I got closer with my weekly grocery purchase; it tapered down to a mild drizzle. (That was favor) Nothing much more until after dark, more rain; then turning to sleet or frozen rain after 8:00. Enjoying the evening with some friends, we lost track of time. Finally, a bit after 10 we wandered out to a .25″ carpet of slushy ice covering all surfaces from power lines to the ground. The 11 o’clock news was certain as the rain tapered, snow would come through between 4 and 8 a.m. leaving a nice blanket, again about 2-3 inches.
Morning came. Much to the surprise of many, it looked almost exactly as it had at 10 p.m. The only real difference was the slush was frozen harder and a scant unmeasurable dusting of snow that you actually had to hunt to see. Children and snow lovers everywhere were disappointed; though many others were rejoicing. (Again, it’s all about perspective.) As I sit looking out back through my picture window, I can’t help but look up at that beautiful blue sky with trees glistening, their bare branches covered with sparkling ice; a display of our Creators splendor! The picture just doesn’t do justice to the beauty.
I can’t help but stare mesmerized wondering at how like life this whole situation is. Everyone going along with their everyday life, doing whatever it is that is required. Suddenly something changes, in this particular case an announcement of winter weather with unseasonably cold temperatures, ice, snow, increasingly colder temperatures followed by ice-covered trees and very high winds. It is a sure mixture for broken limbs and falling trees, especially after a late summer drought. No wonder many were more concerned than excited about snow. For some the lack of snow was very disappointing. Many others are just plain grateful for areas where the snow, ice, and winds were much lighter than expected, as were the damages.
Life happens this way all the time. It throws a ‘suddenly’ our direction; some good, others not so good. Like our weekend weather, it may or may not follow the predictable paths. It may surprise us pleasantly; shock us beyond belief; knock our socks off; or completely devastate us. The possibilities are endless and we have a choice when it does. With what perspective will we choose to look at the circumstance? Will it be a positive perspective? Or negative? Will we seek to look at the big picture weighing one against the other to find a balanced perspective? Will we panic or will we keep a cool and distant position to observe? Honestly, it’s not easy to say how we will react when so many variables are around us all the time. One thing is sure, at least in my mind. We are always better off seeking balance in our perspective when something happens suddenly or unexpectedly. You may not agree, but personally I believe the key to riding out the ‘suddenlies’ in life may just be found in carefully weighing our circumstances and finding a balanced perspective which in my mind leads to a more peaceful place where our mind can find rest.
Living in His Grace 