Record Snowfall in March?

Hi, Darby

I was thinking about you today and I had some thoughts for you. I like the idea of this blog because it allows me to go to your page and let you know that I was thinking about you.

I was thinking about the record snowfall we had two weeks ago. There was so much snow and it was beautiful and thick and everywhere! I wondered why God allowed all that snow to come our way. My mom told me that there was never any mention of how much snow we got in the news reports she saw and she only lives an hour and a half from here. They got a few snowflakes, but they melted as soon as they hit the ground. I had called her to warn her that it was heading her way, but it missed them.

So, I was thinking, "Why us, Lord?" For some it was an inconvenience; for others, it was a nuisance; for others, like me, it was a blast... Beyond this, however, was God's ultimate plan...

In recent years, we have experienced a major drought. Day after day I watched this poor pond struggle to regain its former glory of fullness. As the snow began to melt, that pond began to fill up again. It is now almost overflowing! All of that snow helped give back some of that lost water - a precious resource we had taken for granted. How kind of Him to give us what we did not deserve!

Another thing that I saw in the snow experience was the beauty all around. God is the ultimate Artist. He painted such a beautiful blanket of snow that covered everything. We took a bazillion pictures of the winter wonderland and I am still amazed when I look at them.

At times, though, I felt concern and even fear. Hearing trees crack and fall was alarming. Bekah watched our neighbor's tree fall and take another tree with it. In God's kindness, He did not allow that tree to hit two of our neighbor's houses. It landed right in the middle. It missed their cars by millimeters! It was amazing to see. There are other trees in the gulley that are leaning as well. A couple of them are aimed right at our storage building, but thankfully, they did not fall. I was not so concerned about any trees falling on our house or cars - they already did that! - but hearing the cracks made me wonder whose house would get hit. One neighbor lost part of a gutter, but everyone faired well. In all of this, I had to give my fears to the Lord and trust that He would take care of us.

What does this have to do with thinking of you? Simply this... God allows things to come into our lives. We don't always know why at the time, but as time passes, He gives us little glimpses. This week God allowed you to experience something that just did not make sense. His timing is perfect, though, Darby - even when we cannot see it that way. God used you at another time in Sandy's life. It was an important time for her. It was God's gift to you to allow you to bring water to her. It was God's gift to Sandy to allow her to find that assurance of faith she was looking for in her life. In other words, He brought the snow (water) through you and when the snow melted, it penetrated the ground and the roots and filled up her pond...and she is florishing in His presence today...her assurance sealed...

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

May the Lord bless you and keep you in His loving arms as you grieve the loss of your friend - knowing that she is indeed "filled with His goodness, lost in His love."

I love you! Debbie