Soul Storms

  ~ Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

Leave to thy God to order and provide.

In ev'ry change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heav'nly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. ~

                     Katharina von Schlegel  @1700

...Storms??...yes, and more predicted. Happily, we have not faced what many other areas in the United States have faced with highly destructive tornados and unbelievable high winds.   
      One of my many oddities is my love of storms, and I have a daughter who shares this love. I recall hearing the thunder roll and the lightning flash in my young and tender years as my family camped in a trailer on a church campground, and I would relish the wildness of it. My daughter always loved to drive out to the lake and watch the storm approach and burst onto it. She would come home in an ecstacy of joy. I well remember standing outside with her, watching tornados spawn and advance across the violent skies until they touched the earth and became a dark wall that smelled like dirt. We heard the shrieking whistle of the spinning funnel, and decided to retreat into the basement (good choice!).

      The storms of the last few weeks have produced rain that the dry ground has happily sipped up as it fell, and the small plants in the garden stand straight and tall while they turn their little faces to the sunlight after the rain and the storms.


       I, like everyone else, have had other storms to endure that sometimes rival the wildness of these storms; but these storms affect the soul. Like the tender plants, love, peace, and trust in God will grow from these storms if I allow them to thrive in my heart. I cannot be honest and say that I enjoy these storms of the soul, and I will assert that they can be driving, painful, and sometimes I feel struck and defeated. However, these storms are necessary if I would grow as God intended for me to grow. Note that the stormclouds often develop into the most showy and gorgeous skies as the storm is retreating. So it is in my life, and I'm sure you have found the same phenomenon.
      Therefore, we will have 'a joyful end' as we weather the storms and our souls will receive nourishment and strength from the drenching violence. Whenever I reflect on my life, I realize the growth of peace, love, and wisdom that grew from the most vicious soul storms. I will not ask for storms, but I will do my best to learn and grow from them.

       Thank you for your interest in the work at Lower Brule. Please continue to pray for the people who attend the morning worship service, as well as the sweet 'little people' who attend the afternoon Sunday School. God bless you!

FRESH AND NEW

Holy Week is past and Easter Weekend is mostly over. I feel like this weekend has infused an aura of 'fresh and new.' The early spring inspired me to plant seeds several weeks past, and new little pea and onion plants have pushed up through the ground and are reaching for the sun. My father always encouraged us to plant potatoes on Good Friday, and I was too busy to get that done this week; so on Saturday I dug up a plot of ground and planted potatoes. Daffodils are blooming in the front yard of the house, and the grass is quickly turning spring green. In the back yard, I have harvested asparagus spears, and one of the apple trees has blossomed verdantly. Everything feels new and fresh.

When the weather is frowning, and it is not conducive to being outside; I tend to fall a bit into the doldrums and follow a pattern that becomes dreary. The coming of spring and the weather that beckons me outside has infused me with fresh vigor and new hope. It is important that I become 'fresh and new' in the facets of my life that has become clouded and cluttered with cares. I have been sorting out the pains and hurts that have lurked in the corners of my soul, and to examine them in the light of God. I am set in this world, at this place and in this time, for a purpose. If I can focus on that fact and bend my energies toward living my life to the fullest in every way, I will fulfill God's plan for me. He will use my daily actions and interactions to glorify Himself. I can live a fresh and new life each day.

This feeling has spilled over into our work at the mission. A man came into church this morning who has not been there for a few months, and he shared some of his heart with us. We found his reflections very refreshing and enlightening. We appreciate the insight that people share with us.

This afternoon, several children came in for Sunday School and were so attentive during the Resurrection story. After the story, we went downstairs and decorated cupcakes with toasted coconut and jelly beans. They enjoyed decorating them, and some of them ate them immediately; while others carefully carried theirs home with them.

Thank you for your interest in Lower Brule.