falling for you

So today's scheduled storm was downgraded, still a storm, but a mild one nonetheless. i thought that might happen. How typical of human nature that we get caught up in the hype & the dramas, only to find all that expended energy, of thinking possibly the worst, then only to find it was really not that bad. 

Such is life, we can get so worked up about things, over thinking, over analysing, caught up in the dramatics when pfft, what was all that worrying for?!

I am reminded of the time things shifted for me and Mr Bright Spark (the husband/electrician:) We were in a time of ministry transition in our church, stepping out from leading in an area that i later realised i had based my identity on. I found myself crying out to God at the time (whilst cleaning out a cupboard of course) I was feeling very naked without my 'label', my position, my false identity.  i remember saying to Him,

 "I don't want to just float God, I wasn't built for floating, I was built to soar. I want to soar!" 

His response was short but to the point and clear as day, 

"Well stop flapping then!"  

Right then, in that moment came the calm. My ears heard it, my heart listened & also obeyed, and I knew I just had to fall, 

like an albatross off a cliff 

and trust that He would be there to catch me, 

carry me.

I also knew I just had to shut up! To ssssh the voice of 'but this' & 'but that' and but, but, but, but, but!

Stop flapping. I had never realised until then how exhausting I had found that to be. Oh me of little faith!

Even when I think of it now I get that falling feeling, but it's exhilarating. A little like the feeling of standing at the end of the jetty this evening, all alone, in the rain, tide rising, wind blowing.

I've now grown quite accustomed to falling (in the right kind of sense) I'm not quite soaring yet, more like a baby bird in the early stages of learning how to fly, but at least I'm venturing out coz I know there's some beautiful feathers that will gather me up and nestle me in when I need.

"He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with his feathers" - Psalm 91:4

Here's a few pics from my phone tonight:

A Mild Storm

eye of the storm perhaps? 

Clouds were moving so fast I almost missed this!

 i relished every minute of standing in the wind & rain at the end of this jetty.

Crazy much?? Yep!!

 then i turned around to leave the jetty & saw this - woops!

different jetty up the road, i walked on this one too,

good thing i got off though:)

And now I feel a little like Helen Hunt in Twister,

a Storm Chaser, what a fun job! (maybe:)

Riders On The Storm

You would never know, never guess by my surroundings that a storm is headed my way. Right now, all is still, all is calm, the air is thick with heat and humidity, there is no wind, no movement. My hometown has been told to be on lockdown, for a cyclone is headed our way and is likely to disrupt a few things as it passes by in the coming hours. We've got in first in our backyard, before the storm hits & overturned the trampoline, stacked the outside chairs, battened down the hatches, so to speak. We are prepared, we are ready for nature's fury.
but all is still.
it's the calm before the storm.
Like the weather, I find myself unpredictable at times. Seemingly calm on the outside but tumultuous on the inside. But it's ok, i have my own warning system in place. It's The One who tells me to keep my eyes on Him lest I sink. Who calls me unto the deep and seek Him there. The One who calms the waves and wind, The One who says it's ok to sleep though others may be anxious around me. The One who tells me what to hold on to and what to let go of. He wants me to know He is in control, to remain still and know He is my safe refuge. To cling on to Him for dear life. He's the whisper in my heart that calms the tempest within.
Unlike the coming storm, there will always be the unknown, the things that hit without warning and attempt to knock us off our feet, shake things up a bit and have the potential to leave a mess in the wake of such wrath. The storms of life often hit without warning, but are also inevitable. In knowing that, we can sort of prepare for the unprepared, by not being overtaken when the storms do come, but rather, ride them out! We don't have to be moved if we listen to the warning system that tells us to lock-down, stand firm, hold our ground & fix our gaze on Him, The One & Only God Almighty. We may find afterwards there is a little unwanted debris that's been tossed around, it's not worth keeping, it's likely it would never have sustained us eternally, so let it go. What remains was meant to and will be used for our betterment.
What a promise.
What a hope.
What a storm.
Bring it on!

and then after the storm - a rainbow.