Winter Storms

Our first winter storm of the season.  I'm sitting at home thinking about the way our society operates, and here are my thoughts to consider...

Businesses still open, despite inclement weather, in hopes of making $$$.  And, there are those people who will drive in unsafe conditions to spend $$$, besides those forced to drive because the company they work for is open.  Oh the "almighty" dollar and what it makes people do. 😢
Schools are places that close during these times, because they care about the safety of everyone going and, by the way, they aren't in the business of making $, so they don't have that pushing them to make people do potentially unsafe things (like drive in hazardous conditions).

In the Hebrew Scriptures (OT), the Creator tells His people to remember and observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (which means set apart).  Observant Jews take one day off a week, relax & spend time with family, go to synagogue (not all go) to worship together.  They don't go out shopping, they take a break from work, which includes household duties (yay for women. lol), etc.  It's a real day of rest, making time for family, extra spiritual fulfillment, and thus being able to be rejuvenated for the coming week. The rest of society doesn't take a day of true rest; everything is go, go, go.  And here's where my thoughts consider winter storms:

Perhaps inclement weather conditions are sometimes given as a gift to the world by the Creator, rather than something seemingly bad, to try to get people to rest, spend time with family, etc.  Maybe, instead of fighting against it to keep going and do what we normally do, we should embrace it, say NO! to keeping busy, and stay home.  
What if people started getting together in masses and telling their employer, "We're not coming in to work.  We're not going to take a chance with our lives, to get to work."  If people did this, we could potentially have a huge impact on society!  Do we really HAVE to go out and spend $$$ EVERY day, or can we take a break sometimes; like when the weather is bad?  Prepare for the weather ahead of time, so we don't HAVE to go outside. 
Something to think about.

Storms of Life

There are so many lessons about life that I have learned, and continue to learn from the Creator, through Nature.

There was a tremendous storm that blew through one evening.  It broke branches off trees, as well as complete tree trunks, amongst other things.  As I began picking up some of the branches in the yard, some thoughts came to me that I’d like to share.

As a storm is being experienced, we can’t imagine the good that could come out of it; depending on the size of the storm.  Small storms aren’t usually a concern, and don’t cause us to react much, if at all.  The larger the storm, the more reaction we (most people) have.

As we go through life, we are given personal "storms" to go through.  The harder/stronger they are the more "mess" they leave.  Just as a tree has branches, limbs, trunks that may break off (which are the weakest part of each tree) - we also may have to experience a separation from something that seemed a part of us, but it was something that the Creator knows we needed to offload, to continue to grow or change, in a different direction.

"Limbs" and "branches" (the "smaller" stuff), we can usually clear out on our own.  "Trunks" (the "larger" stuff), may seem nearly impossible and it is easy to mentally say, "I can't clear out all that!"  Just as a person needs help, whether with other people, and/or with various tools/machinery, so too, we need help removing the "trunks" in our lives.  This is where the Creator says, "I'm here to help, just ask."  He also provides help through other people, "tools" such as His Word, and/or other sources - depending on the situation.

The question is...will we pick up the "branches" and "limbs", and cut up the "trunks" of the debris that became detached, and discard/destroy (separate ourselves from) them, or leave them where they are, to be a burden of working around & keeping us from totally completing what we are to do, as we go on with our lives?   

The things in our life that we feel we have been detached from through a storm in our life, need to be completely eliminated from our life, as we can begin whatever new growth the Creator has planned for us.  We need to learn from our storms rather than look around and sulk about the mess that has been made through the Creator "pruning" some of our "weak" areas we are not to continue holding on to.

Let the Creator prune you, discard the waste that is no longer to be in your life, and allow yourself to grow!  

Whether we realize it or not, storms are actually for our good; whether personal "storms" or actual weather storms, as either one is a call to get in touch with our Creator.  Look beyond the obvious to find the hidden reality of events, and you'll be amazed.

What Can We Learn from Weather?

 Today was an extremely hot, sunny spring day.  I was thankful for the gentle breeze that was helping to cool me down a bit, as I worked outside.  No sign of any other weather coming, other than the sun continuing to shine, and the heat rising as the day progressed.

After completing outdoor chores, I went inside the house to cool off.  Later, I heard thunder!  I was wondering if I was imaging it, because there wasn't any sign in the skies earlier, that there was potential for rain.  I went outside and saw rain clouds in the distance.

I was told when I was younger, that the closer the thunder sounds are to one another, the closer the weather is to arriving.  So, I listened for the sounds of thunder.  Then I made sure everything I had to do outside, to prepare for potential weather, was taken care of.            

Then, I got to thinking...LIFE...

We go about living life, through good times and bad.  All too often we can get distracted in the good times, unaware of the bad that is heading our way.  

Just as our Creator, the One Who controls the weather, warns us of storms coming, with signs (and sounds) of how close they are, He also gives signs (and sounds) to us; warning us of a change in our life that we need to be prepared for.

Just as the storms pass, so the bad times in our life pass.  Some storms last awhile, and some pass quickly.  The same goes for our life.

We can be very grateful for these warnings, in weather and in life.  They help us prepare as best as we can.  But, sometimes storms cause devastation.  Sometimes people going through storms/bad times, don't make it through.  Perhaps loss of life is avoidable, if people pay attention to the warnings and act in a timely manner.  We may lose material possessions, but not life.

All of this makes me grateful for the warnings, and makes me realize that I need to pay attention during the good times.  I need to appreciate everything; from the smallest to the greatest are things to be grateful to our Provider for.  I need to slow down and take notice of things, enjoying life, rather than just plugging along doing the same thing every day - make the most of every moment; not waiting until it's "too late".

One more note:  Paying attention to a weather storm to see what direction it has potential of going, and possibly how long it will last, can also be applied to the trials in our life.  

                    

Lesson From A Rotten Lemon

Having received a rotten lemon in a grocery order sent to me, my immediate reaction was to complain. But, I was quickly stopped by the following thoughts coming to mind, which apply what I've learned from studying Kabbalah:

Everything I receive is exactly what the Creator wants me to receive, so there is no room for complaining, but only gratitude; for the Creator only gives what He knows is best.  I received everything I was to receive in my grocery order; nothing more, nothing less, and in the condition I was to receive the items.

What about "warning" people with my (negative) opinion/experience about something?

Each person is given their own experience with everything in life, so I have no business leaving negative comments, because others will have their own positive or negative experience, as per the will from Above.  Thus exits being opinionated!

No more giving in to the desire to "warn" people or give my (negative) opinion or comments; unless I feel "forced" to by the Upper Force.  (I believe this "force" would come if a person is in a life threatening situation.)

I find it humorous that the Creator would teach me this lesson through a (rotten) lemon.  Isn't it true that when we get something that doesn't work right, we say, "I got a lemon"? 

Something To Consider:

If everyone started keeping their negative opinions and comments to themselves, thus leaving room for every other person to have their own life experience, not having been influenced by someone else's experience, I believe it would help to change our environment.  Maybe people wouldn't hate so much, because they'd be forming their own thoughts about situations?