Conflicting Emotions

Sipping on peppermint tea, I'm still feeling cozy from last night's storm. I love storms. And these desert thunderstorms? They often come at appropriate times...when the clashing thunder and rushing rain reflect some of the deeper goings on of my heart.

Rain pounds on the windows, making a terrible racket. Water gushes across the roads and sits in deep puddles, posing a hazard for motorists. Wind whips through the trees, making them bend and often snap. Debris pummels the side of the house. The unexpected clash of thunder overhead causes me jump with it's startling power.

And I love to sit right in the middle of it, letting the rain soak my body. I relish a drive in it. I can't stop staring out the living room window. I just love storms. Though what seems wild and out-of-control can make me nervous at moments, mostly I enjoy them because I know that God controls what I cannot. There is beauty in knowing that.

Then the thunder slowly fades in the distance. The lightning ceases to crack the sky. The rain continues to fall a little more slowly and then disappears as swiftly as it came. Morning comes. Mountains are clearly visible where dust previously impeded the view. A cool breeze momentarily blows in, making me forgetful of the intolerable heat that surrounded me just yesterday. From my perspective, it isn't just the landscape that looks a little more fresh and new.