From my wicker chair on the patio, I stared into the inky blackness before dawn. Occasional water drops trickled from the roof into a bucket. In the quiet solitude, I spent time praying, reading the Bible, and contemplating my daily devotionals.
Little by little, gray replaced the blackness. Dark clouds reflected on the lake. Dim trees and flowers emerged. Huge slate clouds rushed across the lightening sky.
After two nights of rain and storms, more was predicted. For a few days, elusive sunshine had skipped the Sunshine State.
Difficult situations had been clouding my life too. Alan’s pulmonary fibrosis. Mother’s long hospitalization. Aunt Evelyn’s journey with Hospice. Uncle Jim’s illnesses and hospitalizations. Downsizing and moving to a new area. At times, the combination of events was overwhelming.
As the light increased, I looked up to see an amazing sight. A strand of pink colored a patch of sky. Like an artist’s brush, strokes of paint swept across a small portion of sky between the trees.
The fantastic display said, “There is hope even in the clouds.”
After only a few seconds, dark strokes erased my gift. The memory remains and reminds me of other gifts of hope and encouragement. Alan getting into a research study for his lungs. My mom moving to a rehab center. Access to good medical care for ailing family members. Friends who have reached out to me and many more special gifts.
Life is filled with dark times, but there are tiny breaks in the clouds. I want to be open to them.
2 Thessalonians 3:16 And now dear friends, may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. (NKJV)
Comforter, thank you for your hope and peace even in difficult circumstances. Amen
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