Navigating the Tricky Weather of Life

Predicting the weather in Texas is tricky. My aunt was married on Valentine’s Day a number of years ago. When our family arrived in Dallas, a few days ahead of time, it was 80 degrees; everyone was dressed in shorts and t-shirts. On the wedding day itself, though, we were wondering if we would even be able to get to the church, as we bundled up in heavy coats to brave streets that were now covered in ice. Three days later, it felt like spring again.

Life is a little like that, isn’t it? Everything can be going just fine when suddenly disaster hits, and we find ourselves in the middle of a proverbial ice storm. We can easily find ourselves sliding around, out of control, just trying to hang on for dear life. Yet, if you remember your driving lessons, the best way to handle icy roads is to not overcorrect, but rather to just slow down and steer into a spin, rather than away from it. The phrase that comes to mind is “easy does it.” Sometimes we just have to go with the flow.

Life surprises aren’t always bad, though. As I walked a trail near my house today, I noticed that below the bare trees were patches of bright green. While the grass was dormant, clover was sprouting up, laying a colorful carpet that belied the fact that it was still winter. Nearby, little white buds were starting to appear on a cherry tree. So it is in the winter seasons of life. Unexpected blessings will pop up, bringing touches of warmth to cold days. We are reminded that joy can be found just about anywhere, if we look for it.

Life may be a little like Texas weather—crazy and unpredictable—but when we are rooted in Christ, we do not need to stay frozen in our pain or tossed about in the storms of life. When we stand is His light, we find warmth and nourishment to carry us all year long. Through Him, we can stand tall like the evergreen which, even though it loses needles, stands strong through every season.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. –Psalm 1:3

Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” –Hosea 6:3