Finding the "Eye"

Well Hurricane Ike has passed. My weather-obsessed time in front of the computer and tv will get a break since there's nothing going on in the tropical Atlantic. It's been a busy month to say the least. Of course politics will probably occupy my time this week as the race for the White House will heat up and get dirtier and dirtier.

The image in this blog is from a special satellite (Synthetic Aperture Radar) that shows the monster eye of the storm as it bears down on the barrier island of Galveston. It's such a haunting and erie, yet beautiful picture of the overwhelming power and might of nature. No matter how high our sea walls are, no matter how strong our piers or hotels, the forces of nature are far more powerful than anything we can do to counter it's sometimes deadly affects.

I have an opportunity to go to Texas next week to work with our state disaster relief team. I really want to serve and help the people that need so much help. I'm having a hard time being unselfish if I can be honest with you. I hate to leave my family for those 7 or 8 days and then turn around again next month and do it again when I go to South Africa, but I really really want to go and help feed and pray with those that are hungry and hopeless. I have 3 schedule conflicts, one of which is speaking at another church on missions. I'm just going to have to pray about what or where God wants me to join Him and follow Him to it.

I'm so thankful for a wonderful wife like Sarah. She's so supportive of me going. She's encouraging me to go do this event with her whole heart which of course makes me NOT want to go even more! Being in the ministry is so much easier with a spouse that is behind the sometimes overwhelming activities surrounding the ministry!

I was at the funeral of a dear man, Mr. Clayton Sweet. One of the things that his friends were saying about him was that they were so grateful of his family's sacrifice to allow him [Clayton] to minister and build relationships with others around him. The speaker noted that there were no doubt countless times when Mr. Sweet was NOT with his family so that he could be there with someone else's family. It was a sacrifice I know they were behind 100%. The room was full of people that his heart had touched. He made a difference, a real difference in the lives of others. He led them to the Cross!

You know in the middle of the storms of life, I'm thankful that the eye of that storm is indeed the cross. When the wind and rain batters me and the surge is about to overtake me, no matter how dark or how horrible the place I'm in, the eye of my storm is ALWAYS there. I may not be able to see it, but the eye is there always. There's no wind or rain just clear perspective on things from the view of Calvary. When we look at our circumstances from the perspective of the cross, we can be assured of a better mind-set and way of thinking.

Again, I know my thoughts are a little random today, but that's okay isn't it? It's Monday! Cut me a little slack.