Monday, October 17, 2016

Clouds



Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?
Job 37:16

Thin gray clouds hovered just below the peaks of the mountains, making me wonder if a forest fire was in progress. One sniff of the air convinced me it was that rare phenomena in the Southwest, moisture.

Clouds floating past the large picture windows of my mountain home always grab my attention. At almost 7200 feet in altitude, I see a lot of them. At times they start out dark gray and full of moisture which never materializes. Sometimes, they are big and fluffy, but the promised rain still fails to materialize. Beautiful, yet disappointing.

My father-in-law was a great appreciator of clouds, finding shapes in them which he would point out to anyone willing to listen. Living in The Netherlands for half of his life, part of it during the Nazi occupation of WWII, he had seen plenty of clouds, both literally and figuratively. Perhaps the blue skies of the Southwest made him appreciate clouds more because they are not always the harbingers of storms.

When we moved to the mountains we thought the sun would set quickly, causing us to miss the brilliant colors of the evening sky. Wrong! The altitude seems to allow for more interesting cloud formations, streaked with amazing colors every day. My favorite was the pink thunderstorm one summer evening, far across the valley, catching the last rays of the setting sun.



Life is full of clouds, a sudden job change, unexpected illness, a broken relationship, or an untimely death. We can’t choose the kind of clouds that enter our lives. Sometimes clouds bring frightening storms we can’t escape and we cry out for help. Clouds can forewarn of storms, but their absence may not always portend a perfect day. They affect our mood and sometimes change our plans.

One thing is certain, clouds will come. The only thing more certain than clouds is the love and care of my heavenly Father. He promises to stand by my side through the storms, just as He rejoices with me in the good times.

Developing the habit of appreciating clouds makes me more open to the working of God in my life, and less fearful of the storms. Looking for God in the clouds and storms of life enables me to trust Him for the sunshine to come. Clouds may hide the sky, but God is always there.



© Norma Gail Thurston Holtman, February 26, 2015

About the author:
Norma Gail is the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, winner of the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 40 years. They have two adult children.
Connect with Norma:
Book Links:

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas Bookstore: http:// lpcbooks.com/product/land-of-my-dreams/

4 comments:

  1. This is so good and so very true. I, too, love to look at the clouds. They always remind me of God's majesty. I loved your picture of the pink thunderhead. That was awesome. Thank you for sharing.

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  2. A great message. I enjoy watching clouds and think of God's mighty creation of this world and the vast heaven with the stars, clouds, sun by day and moon by night.

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  3. Great analogy....I love to watch clouds and look for shapes. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Our 2 1/2 year-old granddaughter and I enjoy looking at the sky and I have a whole new appreciation of the clouds and their beauty!
    Connie
    cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com

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