Where I live in Tennessee, we are presently under an ice storm warning for tonight and part of tomorrow. I remember the last big ice storm in these parts. The trees, power lines, everything was coated with a half an inch of ice. Only a half an inch created so much weight that it destroyed so many things. It left us without power for one day, but my poor mother was out of power for almost 6 weeks!
The prediction is for the same amount of ice tonight with possibly an inch of snow or sleet on top of that. Now those of you who live up north may think that is next to nothing, but down here one TENTH of an inch of snow or ice can reek havoc on the roads because we true southerners don't know how to drive in that stuff. It is just insane in the stores and on the roads.
I remember another thing from that ice storm as I looked out my window (our only source of light) and watched the ice accumulate on the trees in our back yard. It was a freezing fog that caused that "ice storm", particles of ice so small you really couldn't see them accumulating and didn't notice the weight of them until it was too late and a branch came crashing down to the ground.
It reminded me of the Christian life. Generally speaking we as Christians are prepared for the huge crises of life- death, divorce, kids, lost relatives, etc. However, we really don't pay much attention to the smaller irritations and annoyances that accumulate on us every day and begin to weigh us down without us even noticing. Sometimes it causes us to be depressed, sometimes irritable, but always moving ever so slightly away from our brothers and sisters in Christ who are put in our path to encourage us.
We go to church and pass in the halls asking one another how we are doing with out even stopping long enough to find out. Even if we did stop, because what is bothering us is "such a small thing" we refuse to tell anyone about our need at that moment. I have always maintained that it is not the "big" things that weigh Christians down, but its the small, everyday disappointments and cares that, like the limbs in the ice storm, that weigh us down and sometimes even cause our spirits to break.
We have a God that is interested in the small things of our lives. However, when it is "just" a small thing I tell God, "That's okay, I can handle this. Why don't You take care of something more important." Well, slowly but surely I am learning that even my "little stuff" IS something important to Him.
Matthew 6: 25-34 states: "25 "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 "Do not worry then, saying, `What will we eat?' or `What will we drink?' or `What will we wear for clothing?' 32 "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own"
So if God will take care of the birds and the flowers, I know He will take care of me, my husband, my two dogs and my cat tonight when the ice comes. I have to go now and gather up the blankets and flashlights so that at least we can be prepared if the lights do go out.
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