Safe in the Storm

Pattering drops, they wet my face
And soon there's nothing dry.
It's warm at first, but not for long;
The wind screams battle cries.

Fighting fear, I become brave,
I try to brace for coming blows.
Alone there is no chance to stand-
Who am I to face such foes?

I know the storm is coming, yes,
Bearing down with might,
Roaring, beating, tearing down,
Destroying all in sight...

Yet

Not all, for in the cleft
A sure protection lies.
Not one he holds will be bereft,
Though stormy gales do
Threaten to
Make firm foundations fall.
What He upholds will not be shaken.

Racing the Storm

The wind picks up as clouds roll in,
Blowing my hair around.
Seeing's harder when the wind whips
And the sky is dark with clouds.

I know I don't have time to spare,
Racing wind and clouds; 
Behind the wheel I push hard and fast
As I dare to beat it out.

The storm is coming, rising now-
I'm racing, racing rain,
And wind and unknown terrors:
Who will win this game?

Unexpected

I had a post planned about our day, a day which turned into what I thought was a kind of crazy and weird one. It just took a different turn than what I was expecting.

But my day was nothing compared to the day that others had, specifically in Oklahoma. As I have, you've seen the pictures of the destruction, and read some of the stories. I am heart-broken about the losses, and for the families that have been forever changed, and the families who are still waiting. That waiting...it must be torturous. I am grieving for those who responded initially and those who are walking through and sifting through the debris as the night passes. I cannot imagine what they have encountered and will continue to. And so I am praying for these people, the devastated and those who are trying to care for them. 

Lord, hear our prayers.

The Gospel, Beginning and End

This has been a roller coaster of a day. I was so tired this morning, but Michaela coaxed me out of bed so I could get them to Sunday School. Worship was convicting.

As I sat there listening to the sermon, and then participating in worship, I knew I needed to ask Mike for forgiveness. Being humble? That doesn't come easy, especially when you are a particularly prideful person. 

We went out to eat and headed back to church for Michaela's piano recital. She was the fifth performer from the end because she is one of the older students. There are twin girls who are several years older, as well as a young man who is sixteen or seventeen. The three of them are phenomenal pianists. Michaela had practiced her piece a hundred times and was ready. She did very well, and at the end there is a dramatic chord combo...and she missed it. She played it again, but the same wrong notes. She looked at her teacher and shook her head, and I wasn't sure what they were conveying to one another, but from where I sat, the expression on her face was so hard to look at, as a parent. She looked crushed, as though the piano had betrayed her, it had rearranged its keys on her and played a cruel joke. She stood up, took a bow, and headed back to the seat. She received many compliments, and handled the whole thing well, but she was hurting, so I was hurting. 

We headed home and my head, which had been pounding for a while, got worse. It felt like if someone had looked at me, he would have literally seen my head getting bigger and smaller and bigger and smaller. I took a Benadryl and some ibuprofen (on top of the headache, I was so sore) and felt a little sick. I had to lie down. Mike and Michaela went to her softball practice, got home pretty late with some pizza, and Mike finished putting Christian's bed together. Then he had to dash back out for a meeting with a friend. 

I've taken some more ibuprofen and am trying to decide whether or not to do my video. I don't want to make myself sick. But...maybe I just need to push through the soreness? I don't know. I am also watching the baseball game, which has been like a roller coaster itself! It has been on for almost four hours and it's only the eighth inning!! And the commentators are driving me insane with their heavy favoritism of the other team. It's as nauseating as my headache was earlier. 

At the end of the day, I come back to my number seven from the list the other night: the Gospel is the only thing that does not fail me, ever. And that is what I am clinging to as I get ready for bed tonight, and as I wake up to face the day tomorrow.

Rising Up to the Challenge of Our Rival (or Hangin' Tough, Stayin' Hungry...)

They say the third time's a charm.

Well, THEY LIE.

The third time bites. It also burns. A lot. My knees feel like they are on fire, or at least in front of a very hot space heater. 

Ibuprofen for the win! 

I started The 30-Day Shred again tonight. It was so much harder than the last time I did it. And that hurts (not just my knees, but my pride). 

As I was finishing the video, Christian came downstairs so he could go to sleep on the couch (Mike is putting together a new bed for him and it's not ready). I told him he could turn the light off because I just had a few more minutes left. He lay down and watched me finish; as I was following along with Jillian and her best gals, he offered some commentary.

He said,"Have you ever noticed how she [Jillian] doesn't really do a lot, but the other girls do?" Yes, yes I have noticed that. I told him that she worked out at other times because look at her. She's fit. Then he compared what I was doing to the two ladies who help Jillian with the workout. One does an advanced version of each exercise and the other does an easier version, so you can ease into it. Sometimes I was doing one half of each woman's version. Sometimes I was doing the advanced version (the ab exercises, for example). (He said,"Actually, you're doing that perfectly.") Sometimes I was doing the easier version (the strength exercise at the end-I hate that one). (In fact, it's the second of the two strength exercises in the third cycle, and I do the first one for a little longer just so that I don't have to do that one for as long.) (I really. don't. like. it.)

At any rate, I got through the video. I mean, it's only twenty minutes, and I have to start somewhere. I'll tell you one thing: I didn't have fun. But I mean to! 

I really enjoyed exercising last year. I got to a point that it felt strange not to go for a jog every day! Whoever that person was I want to get back to her. It seems like I'm chasing a shifty shadow through a foggy forest. Barefoot. In the morning. After pulling an all-nighter. And I'm doped up on diphenhydramine because my allergies are waging a war against me. 

It's hard is what I'm saying...but isn't that how it is? The things that are really worth it are hard. But just like Rocky, I'm going after it. I've got the eye of the tiger...

"It's the thrill of the fight, rising up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night
And he's watching us all with the eye of the tiger
Face to face, out in the heat, hangin' tough, stayin' hungry..."

Hungry for what is the question. Most likely Cheezits and Peanut M&Ms.