Weathering the Storms

This past weekend, Winter storms kept me from visiting Vicki; it’s been too long since my last visit. In a separate blog I’ve started, last month I wrote about something we experienced during my last visit that shows how quickly and unexpectedly things can change. Here, slightly adapted, is what I wrote:

I thought I’d be sound asleep a few hours ago, resting up to drive home from Michigan to Steubenville in a Winter storm I’ve been expecting for a few days. The trip usually takes me about 7-8 hours on dry roads. I expect it will take me longer today. After a day of rain here, light snow has started falling in the wee hours of the morning. This snow storm is expected.

A few hours ago, though, I was in the midst of a sudden unexpected storm of another kind – one that occurred when Vicki’s health took an unexpected turn for the worse after dinner and we spent some tense time praying and hoping that the medicine would get us through this episode. In time, things calmed down and Vicki was able to get to bed and to sleep. I’m still unwinding from the evening’s events – events that bought a personal storm to us, a very sudden and unexpected storm.

Whether anticipated or not, there are and will be storms of different kinds in our lives. How we respond may be unique to a specific situation. Prayer brought some peace and hope in the midst of tonight’s storm, and I hope my drive in the snow storm will also be peaceful regardless of the weather.

Tonight, praying reminded me we’re not alone and don’t have to tough out the storms on our own. Prayers may not make the immediate problems go away, but they invite God to help share the burden.

Update: I made it safely to my Ohio home. For the most part, the roads weren’t too bad. Traffic was slow in Northeast Ohio though. Vicki is feeling better but tired after Thursday night’s health episode.

We’ve made it through these storms by the grace of God.

Thank you, Papa.
Jim