Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Living in the Pacific Northwest, you kind of get used to the weather and the fact that the weather isn’t always going to follow the ‘traditional’ seasons. There are times we can have 70-degree weather in March, as well as snowfall during the same time, another year. As we are now in the season of spring, we have a combination of sunshine, hailstorms, clouds, torrential downpours, blue skies and even the occasional snow flurry.
In some ways, it’s a bit like life. We don’t know exactly what to expect on any given day. We certainly hope for the calm breezes and a spot of sunshine, but then life can throw us a curveball and the clouds, and a thunderstorm rolls in. How are we supposed to prepare for anything? Glad you asked (well, technically you didn’t). Prayer. Wait, it’s that simple? To start with, yes. Daily (or more) prayer allows for the open communication from our Savior to our hearts and minds. So, how does praying to God prepare us for the day? The easy answer is, the act of prayer, independent of the content, gives God permission to intervene in our daily lives. We, may think we can prepare for any given circumstance but the truth is the exact opposite. HE knows what’s coming toward us and can either steer us around the storm, or provide the guidance and protection to weather the storms we are to face.
So, now I am back in the PNW, it’s April and hoping for a little sunshine, but everything is all wet. Talk about preparation, God has designed this patch of the world to prepare for all the beauty that is ahead of us (and already started). We have the cherry blossoms, the daffodils, and depending on the specific area, tulips (some come out in March). This is just the start of a gorgeous, colorful season. Each time I see another flower pop up from its ground slumber, I think of the preparation God has planned for us. May your day start with a prayer, opening the communication lines, and ask God to prepare you for anything you may encounter. Thank you, God, for caring for us!
This image of a field of tulips was captured in the Skagit Valley of Western Washington.