“For the first time since the storm battered the Northeast, killing at least 57 people and doing billions of dollars in damage, brilliant sunshine washed over the nation’s largest city — a striking sight after days of gray skies, rain and wind.” (MSN news, today)
Brilliant sunshine.
Beautiful, brilliant sunshine after such devastation. We want to scream, to cry–that it’s not fair. The pain of the storm, the loss of life, the enormous projected financial loss, now millions without electricity– it is all too much to be able to rejoice in sunshine today.
But we do discover that beauty is always there. –it is the storm, the trouble that comes suddenly or even quietly, stealthily—that covers the serene, the majestic scenes of life. And when the storms, the clouds, the darkness have passed, the beauty remains.
So it is with life. Storms hide the reality, the sense of wonder and awe of life, the beauty. Is this enough to enable one to survive the storm–to know that when it passes–the beauty that was hidden momentarily–can still be seen.
Furious, wild winds made Tennesseans aware that there was a storm brewing on the east coast, and we watched helplessly, praying for those in Sandy’s perilous path.
I was aware of another storm this week. One evening I attended a fall fashion preview presented by a beautiful lady, both inside and out! Within an hour after I left the presentation, the lady received news that her 50-year old husband had been found dead by her sons.
What shock! How profoundly unreal is the fact of this ‘storm’.
Tom was away for five days in Butte, Montana, during this time, and I was deeply affected at the news. Oh, I sometimes tread gently, trepidant, into the minutes of life, fearful of the what-if’s, worrying about potential coming storms.
Saddened today, yes, but reassured by the sunshine that for today, this part of NOW, God is still in control, even as He was — in and during the storm.
This morning the skies are blue, the air is fresh, the raspberries are sweeter, and the second cup of coffee–with Tom— makes me delight in this moment.
“He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.” Psalm 107: 29-31
a journey to now 
Always love to read your words and see your sweet BEATIFUL face in my mind -miss you
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I finally figured out today that I had only mostly subscribed to your blog – and I remedied that to complete subscribedness! So now I am trying to catch up on all your entries that I have missed. I shared part of this one with a friend that is dying of cancer, and am hoping that it brings her some comfort – what do we have, after all, if not hope for an eternity spent with our Father, the final and complete beauty after the storm?
And newsletter-wise, I am so undisciplined on getting them out, that you have not missed too much. If you will send me your email address, I will send you the last one that was an embarrassingly long time ago. Chagrin. But I will be writing one soon, and I think it will be about traveling – I visited two universities in Hunan Province recently, a nine day trip. The trip to the first city involved four train stations and three trains, but was remarkably smooth, and a foreshadowing of the whole trip. But now I am so happy to be back in my own apartment, having celebrated Thanksgiving on Saturday with teammates and friends, likeminded and not. But a heart full of Thanksgiving – although I have been paying since for the game of ultimate frisbee before the feast. My muscles hurt!!!
I am so glad to finally be subscribed! I will be enjoying your writing, your reflections on the Father and reflection of the Father.
Love, Sherri
P.S. You know, I very seldom drink diet coke since you and Tom came to visit us in Seattle oh so long ago. 🙂 Do you remember you asked me to please stop drinking it? I think my reply was something like, “I’ll only be in the states for 10 more days, and I can’t get it in China, so I’ll be quitting soon enough.” 🙂 We have it here now, but I almost never drink any pop at all. 🙂
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