Safe in His Care

When we first moved to this town, people would sort of jokingly say, "ah, you moved to the Holy City". They said it's called that because it is a praying town, a town of almost all Seventh Day Adventist and that it seems protected from bad weather. Storms can be all around this town, but miss it completely. Two years ago Melanie and I heard and saw funnel clouds roar over our street. 8 to be exact, yet not a one touched down in our town, they had touched down before it reached us and then after leaving it. It wasn't the last time we have known of funnel clouds going back up as they reached this town. I cannot tell you the number of times that hail has fallen every place other than our town . So, although the "Holy City" title is somewhat of a joke, maybe there is something to it being protected most of the time. Tonight was one of the times we were spared any really bad weather. Makes you think a bit about the power of prayer. There are lots of praying folks in this town.

We watched the TV most of the evening, seeing the reports of the storm damage and the whole time counting our blessings and feeling "Safe in His Care" (the title of a favorite Mennonite book of mine published by Rod and Staff) . Times like this makes me feel so sure about what I believe and cherish as a belief system. I suppose it goes along with the saying, "there are no atheist in a fox hole". I am NO atheist, never was and never will be, but there are times when I just am not sure how small a box to try and squeeze my concept of God into. At times I wonder if God just has many names and that perhaps there is more than one way to reach Him. Does that make any sense ? Church doctrines seem to make God seem so narrow minded and make us think we can understand the how and why of Him. It also can give us a belief in Him that seems exclusive to us and make us sure we alone have the truth. That bothers me. We inadvertently put human limits on something so much greater than our comprehension. The nerve of us ! However, church places us with like minded people, you go to church hopefully with folks that share most of your belief system. Without church, I miss that sense of community. And its familiar. Its a struggle for me to go to church and a struggle to not go.

Anyway, I know He cares for me and my family. We as a family have felt the blessings of this Higher Power in our lives over and over. Times that are frightening seem to drive us to our knees. Make us sure of what we believe in. Maybe James sums it up for me in this verse, which I have loved since I was knee high to a grasshopper...Jame 1: 2 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

The house tonight, all is calm. Simple and full of peace.

A cute sign I found at Goodwill this week. Pretty wise too.