T H U N D E R S TO R M S WITH OPEN HANDS
by Nicole Byrum We were less than 2 hours from our beach vacation destination when I decided to check the forecast on my mobile weather app. I instantly regretted that decision. Every hour for the next 48 hours was littered with the thunderstorm icon. And not only that but with an 85% chance! In the weeks leading up to vacation, I had envisioned white sand and the Gulf of Mexico under bright blue skies and sunshine. This forecast was the opposite of that mental picture and had me feeling pretty grumpy!
When the rains came Tuesday morning, I was completely fine with it. After all, it was nice to be a little lazy. I could think of a lot worse ways to spend an early morning than reading some great books! Once the rain subsided, we hit the pool rather than chance the red-flagged ocean. After some time, the clouds began to roll back in and I suddenly had the urge to go for a run.
I looked at the clock and decided to give myself 10 minutes to pout. For several minutes I dwelled on my disappointment. I imagined my husband, kids, and I sitting around in our rented condo watching old movies instead of playing on the beach. I let myself be sad and annoyed. But around the 8-minute mark, I decided to pray, though not for the forecast to be changed. Rather, for God to help me accept with open hands whatever He had for us that week. As I prayed, my grumpiness quickly subsided. In its place was a feeling of peace.
I knew I didn’t have long before the rains came, I figured about 20 minutes. I took off from our condo and ran along the boardwalk. All the beachgoers were hurriedly packing up towels and blankets and making their way to their cars. I kept running. I turned around to backtrack my way home at the 10-minute mark. What an awesome sight to see the thick storm clouds rolling in over the water! As I took in the scene of the stormy gulf, I had to smile as I thought back to my prayer in the car. I had been grumpy about the predicted storms, but here I was experiencing so much joy because of it!
The first evening of our arrival found us eating dinner outside overlooking the ocean. The sun was shining, and the waves were crashing as my daughter and I shared the “Fisherman’s Platter.” A good start to the week indeed! The following morning and afternoon were filled with sunshine and plenty of time in the sparkling aqua water. The day concluded with a sunset boat ride and another delicious seafood dinner.
16 | ON M AG AEVERY Z I N E N ACORNER ME FAITH
