Beauty of the storm

It's funny... you can go without something for so long you don't realize how you ache for it... until you suddenly have it again. The way we go too long without water, not realizing we're thirsty, until we taste it and begin to gulp breathlessly until it's gone.

I'm sitting at my kitchen window. Listening to the thunder; the rain is literally splashing through the screen onto my face. (Maybe not great for my computer, but I don't care). I didn't realize how much I had missed this. How much peace one can find in a thunder storm. I remember as a child, standing at the back screen door as a storm would roll in. There's no scent quite like that of impending rain. It's clean and fresh; you just want to drink it in. 

We haven't experienced thunderstorms in a number of years where we were living. Rain,yes, but without the storm. The power is so awesome: the lightning snapping, the thunder booming in reply... It's beautiful and frightful all at once. Awesome... like so many acts of God.

The dry, cracked earth in our yet-unfinished backyard reminds me of my soul sometimes. Just this week a friend and I were talking about being in a place where you know you need more of God, but you lack the motivation to pursue Him. "You will seek Me and find me when you seek Me with all your heart" says Jeremiah 29:13.  We talked about how God often brings us to the place of longing - will even leave us there, until we realize our need for Him and chase after Him. Countless times in the Old Testament, He brought His people to the end of themselves, and when they finally cried out to Him, He met their need, and drew them close to Himself again. Watching the rain quench the ground paints that picture for me: the relief of a parched spirit in the power, grace, even gentleness of such a great God.

I wish, instead of a picture, I could upload the smell of the rain :) and you could share it with us.

The lightning flashes and God speaks, "I am the Lord. That is my Name. I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols" (Isaiah 42:8).

CH-CH-CH-Changes

WE MADE IT!

We are here, mostly moved in and adjusting to the change... well,... mostly. I'd like to begin with a list of the top 5 changes I did NOT anticipate.

5. The land of the risen sun:  you know... the kind that never seems to go down? Little did I know Boise was a mere 50 miles from the Pacific time zone line. So, we're basically on the same sun rotation as we were, but the times are all different. No wonder my infant wakes up an hour after his 7 pm bedtime. It's still broad daylight!

4. Altitude determining my attitude!  I grew up in mountainous Wyoming, then moved to sea level. That transition was simple, but coming back up? We feel winded and tired after climbing the stairs. LOL

3. A love affair with my gas gauge? You can get just about everywhere here in 25 minutes or so, depending on traffic. I did all my little daily errands and had barely dipped below 3/4 of a tank from Monday to Friday! I know, you all want to move here now, doncha!? ;)

2. Diverse-city. The area is touted to be about 94% caucasian, which is probably close to true, BUT I found out from a local friend, Boise is one of only 7 cities in the US that is a "refugee city." Which means we take in people fleeing death or persecution in their countries, AND the hispanic population in the valley is high enough that Mexico is planning to build a Consulate here! Kinda cool - since a lot of people told us we were moving  to a white supremacist stronghold. And the number one change I didn't anticipate....

1. That it would feel SO right. We've moved a few times, in my life and in our marriage. It's always been for God, but it never feels great to me. I KNOW it's right, but I'm always nervous; I feel out of place. It usually takes me a good 6 months to a year to feel settled. THIS move, though, feels so right. It makes sense to me, and I don't even know what sense it makes! There are so many uncertainties, but none of them phase me. It's just right. Both Dusty and I keep saying (with this kind of whimsical, weird smile), "It just feels right." Maybe this is what it felt like for Noah to build the ark or Joshua to take Jericho... "You want me to build a what?" "You want me to march around? How many times?" "You want us to start a church in Boise?"  Ok, God, whatever You say!

So, here we are. Dusty has had several of those crazy, evangelistic, fall-on-your-face-and-get-saved conversations he tends to have with random people. Daxton makes us new friends and opens doors for connections in every grocery store, restaurant, drive-through and garage sale. Draes screams a lot, but he smiles too so people think he's cute. And I just feel like I'm on some sort of amazing ride where I can't imagine or wait to see what happens next. And though I miss everyone who's not here with us, there's not a question in our minds this is where we're suppose to be. No matter what changes continue to crop up, no matter what changes we face, our God will not change. Though He is always moving, He will not BE moved. Isn't it good to know, even if everything else changes, He stays the same? Malachi 3:6 "I the Lord do not change."

We hope all your ch-ch-ch-changes find you in the Hand of an Unchanging God. Whew! The sun FINALLY went down. Maybe I can get some sleep ;).

Pics: Draes attempting his escape to the wild open and Daxton proudly displaying his latest "owwie"