Summer thunderstorms

Summer thunderstorms come out of nowhere. One minute the sky can be perfectly clear, bright and sunny. Then the next minute, without any kind of notice, the clouds will roll in covering the area with darkness and booming thunder. I love it. I love the mystery, the intensity, the power behind every lightning strike. It just amazes me how something with so much energy could just come out of nowhere.

The other day we were on the way home from the pool and one of those summer thunderstorms started rolling in. We told the kids that we needed to give them a quick bath before the storm came. That's all Griffin needed to hear to launch into one of his Griffinisms. (Yes, that's my new word to describe my son's awkward reactions to things.) He started crying and asking us not to let it storm. He obviously doesn't share my sentiments. We had to explain to him that mommy and daddy couldn't control the storm.

I started thinking...maybe it would be nice if we could control the storms, if we could determine exactly when each storm would come and how long it would last and where exactly it would hit. Although it's a nice thought, in reality it would be a mess. I would want to plan the storm to hit during nap time so it wouldn't ruin the kids' pool time, but the mom down the road would want to the storm to come after her kids had their picnic lunch. The coach would want the storm to hold off until after the game. We would be in constant conflict with each other, and the earth would never receive the nourishment and refreshment it so desperately needs during the hot months of summer.

While it's hard for us to think of storms as refreshing and nourishing, that's exactly what their purpose is. If God never made us go through anything difficult, we would never grow. Instead complacency would set in and dryness would slowly wilt our spirits, and we wouldn't even notice it until it was too late. Although it's frustrating when things are going well and then life gets interrupted by an unexpected, powerful storm, those are the very things that keep pushing us closer and closer to where we need to be. They cause us to seek Him, His answers and His guidance. In turn He provides exactly what we need exactly when we need it.

When you're soaking wet from the pounding rain, it's hard to see all the good you're receiving. You just have to wait until the storm has passed. Then you can look back and appreciate the blessings it delivered.