Weathering the Storm

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed. 

We’re into Day 3 of Tropical Storm Debby and still stuck in our neighborhood due to high water. Day 1 (Sunday) was a rainy, restful break from a busy week.  Day 2 (Monday) was a disappointing day of cancelled plans--but with guarded hope that conditions would improve.

Day 3 is a day for taking stock:  how are our food supplies?  how are our neighbors doing?  will our patience run out? 

When I looked out the window this morning at the scudding clouds, wind-whipped trees, and whitecaps in the canal, it brought to mind the hymn I quoted above.  Debby’s center is far away and yet we feel it’s power, and that’s just a fraction of God’s power displayed in creation.

The weather forecast does not look promising. Debby’s stationary position in the Gulf of Mexico means that we’re due for SW winds for at least another day.  Those strong SW winds push water into Tampa Bay, which means higher than normal tides in our part of town. The water backs up the drains into the streets and, as the drains are full, rainwater collects on top.  So it might be Wednesday night or Thursday morning before we can safely drive anywhere. And that’s assuming that TS Debby moves ashore and the winds shift.

At least one more day with no trips to town, no Vacation Bible School, no morning paper delivery, no US Mail. But these are, at best, inconveniences that remind us of all that we take for granted. The waters will recede (eventually) and we’ll resume our regular schedule. We just need to be patient.

Mom sent me a quote today that was shared at a cancer survivor’s meeting, but it’s particularly appropriate as our current situation challenges our attitudes and patience. 

“It’s not about waiting for the storm to pass--its about learning to dance in the rain.”

Shalom, y’all.