First, thank you for the emails, texts, and comments in response to Saturday's post.   I am taking your advice and trying many of your recommendations.  I love you all so much.  You make me laugh, remind me I'm normal, and give me hope!!

Second, I awoke this morning to the sound of a downpour outside.  I knew bad weather was headed our way last night when my mom texted and said "Check your weather before heading to bed.  Bad storms are coming."

Thunder and lightning arrived just an hour or so after her text, and I'm guessing it's been raining all night long.

Today, we are in a wind advisory, with more storms possible, and I'm thinking, "This is odd weather for January."  The 10-day forecast shows no signs of cold temperatures or snow.  No, it's more like an April forecast.  Have we somehow missed winter?

It occurred to me, as I was thinking about our strange weather, that often in life we "expect" certain seasons at certain times and when these seasons  become jumbled we grasp for understanding.

I'm reading from Job right now, and I'm struck with the "mixed-up seasons" in Job's life and how he and his friends are grasping for some type of sense in all of his agony.

His friends ramble and guess and speculate as they sit with Job and try to bringing meaning to his countless tragedies.

Even Job gets caught up in trying to make sense of his losses, his pain, his illness.

But he can't.

And if your life is anything like mine, I'm just guessing there are moments when things just don't make sense to you either.

There are thunderstorms and January, and we are left wondering, 'Why?'

Late last night I received word that a college friend's wife had died unexpectedly yesterday afternoon.

The most tragic part of this news was that our college friend died several years ago leaving her a widow with a young daughter.  There is now an 8 year old little girl who has lost both of her parents in the wrong season of life.

Thunderstorms in January.

I fell to sleep last night to the sound of thunder and with this sweet little girl on my heart.

Life does not make sense sometimes.

What do we do in this mixed-up seasons?

I think there's only one answer.

We go to Him who created winter, spring, summer, and fall, and we simply say, "Be enough, Lord."

Be enough when flowers bloom, when leaves turn and fall, when ice and snow appear, and when blossoms reappear.

Be enough even in those seasons when it feels as if one thing should be happening (like snow falling), yet we are facing something unexpected (like a thunderstorm).

"Be enough, Creator of the Seasons."

Paul struggled with a weakness in his flesh that he did not understand.  He begged for healing.  He begged for this "thorn in the flesh" to be taken away.  And yet, God replied,

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

II Cor. 12;9

I don't know what you are facing on this Monday morning in January.

Maybe there is beautiful, white snow falling in your life and everything feels "right" for winter.

Maybe you're not sure what today will even hold.

And maybe, just maybe, you are hearing thunder and it doesn't make sense.

Whatever the case, please remember,

God is enough.  He is sufficient.  He will carry you through the snow and the storms....no matter the season.