Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Outlook (06/02/11)
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TITLE: Power and Beauty | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jennifer Hill
06/09/11 -
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I quickly took it down and tucked it inside the front door. I moved the planted pots up against the house in hopes of protecting the beautiful blooms. I removed the stain glass sun catcher from its post and then turned to the wind chimes. They were playing quite a tune all of their own. I gathered them together, making a less than pleasant sound. Once all was hopefully placed out of the wind and impending rains, I got ready for the show.
Even though it had been as high as 98 degrees earlier in the day it was now a cool 67. I grabbed a blanket and a mug of warm tea and headed to my favorite spot on the front porch. Thankfully it was a nice deep porch. It was perfect. It basically held a make-shift outdoor living space. No, it wouldn’t be featured on HGtv, but it got the job done for my family.
Tonight the family was cozied up watching a favorite show. I decide to catch the action outside, see what God had in store out of his art box. The sky was now a deep Neptune blue, with streaks of ash gray. Fat rain drops were starting to fall and scatter a polka dot design across the sidewalks, driveways and street. The wind continued to pick up, making me wrap the blanket a bit tighter around me.
The chill reminded me autumn would be here before I knew it. Spring blooms were fading fast and summer greens were filling in throughout my garden that spread out from the porch reaching into the yard. The smells of spring had disappeared a couple weeks ago and were replaced with Snap Dragons popping their color this week.
The rain drops picked up now into a steady fall and were accented with the roll of thunder overhead. I became lost in thought as I looked out into the storm. I was reviewing my day, thinking of tomorrow and then remembering the stuff from yesterday. That was when the sky cracked open in light and power. Lightening flashed across the expanse as far as I have ever seen. Then thunder sounded all around, as though Moses had just set his staff down.
I sat straight up and recognized God and His awesome amazing power. I sat there in awe of Him. I praised Him and asked Him to forgive me. Here I came out to see what He was up to and instead I let myself wallow on myself and my time and how I spent it or will spend it. Crazy, I thought. How could I have lost track of the whole reason I came out here in the storm in the first place?
I sat back in my seat and closed my eyes for a moment. I prayed a simple prayer, that I wouldn’t lose sight of this display of power and beauty. This was only a small picture, a glimpse of God’s capability. After all He has no limits, something I truly can’t ever comprehend here on this earth.
I opened my eyes to find the rain was slowing down. The sky wasn’t as dark. The clouds were rolling to the east at a fast pace. The storm would be over soon. I sipped my tea and took in the smell of the newly cleaned air. The garden already looked refreshed from a long day of sun and heat. The rain concluded with a few last full drops. The pale blue skies began to peek out.
The front door opened and out came my family. They joined me on the porch and then out onto the wet grass.
My husband wrapped his arm around me and asked if I had enjoyed the storm. He knew how I loved to watch them from the porch. Sometimes we’d watch them together, but sometimes he knew I liked to use them as my quiet time.
I nodded as our twins came up and pointed up to the roof of our house. Overhead was a double rainbow, bright and bowed right over our house and trees.
“Only God has such power and creates such beauty.”
The outlook was amazing!
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