Transparent Christian Magazine

Some crazy storms blew through middle Tennessee last week, causing a collective-bit of afternoon anxiety, a few damaged buildings and the death of a Bradford Pear tree in my front yard.  Bradfords have a design flaw; thin, fast growing branches and wide leaves that combine to act like a sail in a heavy wind.

A friend of mine was shopping at Hobby Lobby when the worst of the weather hit, and the store was put on ‘lockdown’.  They locked the doors, and told the shoppers to hunker down, and Jim thought, “NOT ME!”

He said “I wasn’t going to die in the yarn department.  I just ain’t goin’ out like that!!  They had the front covered pretty well, so I went out the Fire Exit and set off the alarm.”

We laughed for awhile about the macho absurdity of not wanting the end to come in a yarn department or the craft section, with the epitaph “Here lies Jim, he died in the button aisle at Hobby Lobby.”

Later that afternoon I thought about Jim setting off the fire alarm, and it reminded me of one of my favorite quotes: “Sometimes God calms the storm; sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.” Sometimes the answer to prayer is locking the doors and guarding yourself against the oncoming storm – and sometimes it’s simply a well-placed side exit.

But whether we weather the storm or brave it, God really does give us the strength to get through the experience, and I know that every storm provides me the opportunity to grow in Him.

I hope none of you take any damage this season, but if you do, that you heal. There was no side exit for my Bradford, but we don’t mourn. No homes, cars, or people were hurt when it came down, and we’ve learned… we’re planting something stronger in its place!

Love,
Jason