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:
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/land-of-my-dreams-norma-gail/1119606864?ean=9781941103173
