Thursday, April 26, 2012

A to Z Blogging Challenge "Wind"


Wind
By Shelly Burke, Editor and Publisher, Nebraska Family Times and author of Home is Where the Mom is; A Christian Mom's Guide to Caring for Herself, Her Family, and Her Home

“Wind” is a part of living in Nebraska, and today was (and is!) one of those days when the wind just howls across the wide open spaces.

A friend and I were driving back from an errand today, and I had to hold on to the steering wheel with both hands and really concentrate to keep my vehicle in my lane. The road was hilly and curvy, so occasionally the wind would be blocked and let up for a few seconds…only to quickly blast us from the other direction.

The seals around the windows on my vehicle are not tight, so the wind was loud as well as strong! Tracy and I almost had to yell to be heard. When Tracy called her daughter to make sure she’d gotten home from school, she had to plug her other ear with her finger to block out the noise of the wind.

Life is sometimes like that loud, windy ride home. We are blown about by trials and troubles and tribulations. We are pushed and pulled from side to side with the demands of family, friends, work, home…and even church. The “wind” noise of life can be such that we can hardly hear each other—or God.

When Elijah was running for his life from King Ahab, the Lord told him to stand on the mountain and wait for Him to pass. 1 Kings 19:11 tells us, “Then a great and powerful wind tore the  mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind…{then} a still, small voice.” That voice was the Lord, who then gave Elijah instructions to escape to safety.

To hear that still small voice on a “windy life” day, we may have to plug our other ear (or both ears) to block out the noise of the telephone, kids, and dirty laundry--all calling for our attention--so we can hear that “still, small voice.”

Psalm 46:10 tells us to “Be still and know that I am God.”  Rather than continually fight to keep your life in the right lane, take time each day to pull over, take your hands off the wheel, be still, and just listen.

Life will always push and pull you around, and the “winds of life” will interfere with hearing God. Some days will be “windier” than others. But after you’ve been still…and listened for God’s still, small voice…you’ll be better able to navigate the roads of life.

Lord, thank You for being with me through all of the winds of my life. Please help me to remember to be still and listen for Your still, small voice to guide me. Amen.


I’m also blogging at Home is Where the Mom Is
Today’s post is titled “Every Mom is a ‘Working’ Mom.”