If not in the storm then when?

Putting on the armor of God each day could be summed up in the idea of surrendering each day to live consciously within Christ.  Living through him is the most powerful armor one can wear to face this life.  Some of us, more then others, notice or are overwhelmed by the day to day storms.  The storms are for real, they can be crippling and sneaky and devastating, especially if your spiritual skin is too thin.

Rubbing my eyes, brushing  my hair out this morning, I looked in the mirror and decided to consciously live IN or OUT OF my Christ today.  Half the day was superb… but a non-literal bomb dropped around lunch; I almost totally succumbed to the flip out mood that often drags me under in a storm.  As I contemplated a moment I had with my son this morning it occurred to me I didn’t need to exercise grace, going beyond my own self, UNTIL the storm hit.  Up till the bomb I was easily able to run on my own steam, all without consciousness about my awesome God being my LIFE.

If I am not going to put His grace into action in the middle of the day to day storm when will I?  And how will I grow more gracious??

My littlest man and I had been to story time at the library.  On the way home we picked out 5  cupcakes at our favorite organic bakery.  They were so pretty and fresh.  My boy was mesmerized by them and asked if he could be the barer of the cupcakes.  He made it to the van just fine but JUST before we entered the house he slipped and fell.  The pretty cakes mashed their icing against one another and their container.  He began to whimper, still prostrate on the ground.  I forgot the cakes and picked him up.  His eyes were only able to see his mistake and he cried.  I dusted him off and asked if he was hurt. “I messed them… I fell…” he responded.  I told him I was more worried about him.  He explained he was okay but the pouty lip only got larger.

I held him and told him the cup cakes would taste just as good in their messy state.  He looked at me and the storm cleared, “Can I have milk with them?”

³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

⁴¹ They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

~MARK 4 37-41 (NIV)~

He could have lost it by refusing to take his eye off the screw up… things would have gotten worse, and the cup cakes would have lost their sweetness in the middle of a nasty hurricane… but he heard my calm voice, we sailed through, and had cakes and milk together.  May I practice trust and grace in the midst of life’s storms (great and small), listening for the still small voice and allowing Christ’s Spirit to do his changing work in me.

I can’t say I am thankful for storms…even on my better days… but I am indeed thankful for the lessons and growth when I seize these opportunities,  listening to Jesus, grasping to Jesus and letting him take me through.

Always Lady Mac an Rothaich

TTFN