the phone rings.
a familiar voice.
moments of chatter.
then.
there’s the silence.
the long, awkward pause.
the conversation on hold.
only temporarily.
a simple question breaks the silence.

how’s the weather? 

where we live?
in Ohio?
it’s snowing.

where they live?
in the Philippines?
it’s blowing.

blowing a hole in their lives.
bringing a void of life and dragging it down unto death.
a typhoon of destruction swept thru and changed. life. forever.

how’s the weather?
what kind of question is that?
when there’s conversational space to be filled and nothing else better to say, it’s a fill-in-the blank question that lingers, awaiting the most simple answer. it is what it is.
how’s the weather?

and our response…
a cool breeze, with sunny skies, spirits are high.
or…
the clouds hang low, the cold clings to our bones and depression moans.

how’s the weather?
we can complain about it.
we can care about it.
we can compare about it.

but…
we can’t control it.
we can’t control it. 

and when we see the devastation covering the news stations… there’s the reminder… what remains is the truth there is so much we. can’t. control.

we plan out the day // organized // ordered // ordained // how we want our lives to be…
we set out for the day // with the plans // the ideas // the schedules we’ve made…
when at the root of our lives, there is so much we have no control over.

we are not in control. 

The Creator Is.
The Creator God.

He gives the sunshine and the cloudy days.

and we respond.
to the sunshine, the clouds, and the typhoon.

we can give.
we can pray.
we can hope.
we can respond.

at the root of our lives, we have control over our response. 
how will we weather… the weather? 

…

Our hearts cry out in anguish over the lives lost and suffering surrounding the Philippines.
Mere words can not adequately express our sorrow.
Our prayer is for the mystery to be revealed and understood… whether in a desert, or a typhoon, hope joy and peace can be found. 

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be on their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” 
Isaiah 35:10

In Him, Leslie