"Reign On My Parade"

The last couple of days have been pretty crazy around here, thus the two day hiatus from blogging.

Shondi and decided to take some time off on Thursday since our weekends have been so busy lately with hosting groups at the camp. I say we took "some time off", because we always end up finding something "work related" to do if we are anywhere near home! We did manage to pull of a lunch date and an hour at the gym together (I know.... seems a little counter-productive doesn't it?). We did enjoy just spending the day together. Our offices are right next to each other, but some days we only cross paths a couple of times in a whole day!

I got a late start Friday because of the rain. When it's raining hard, I try to be a gentleman and shuttle folks from the parking lot to the lobby so they don't have to "swim"! When I finally got to my office, I tried to start blogging, but the "life" switch had already been turned on and my office was a revolving door. After a few failed attempts to focus, I just gave up on blogging and got busy with the day's work.

As I sit here in my office on a quiet Saturday morning, the rain and thunder are singing a song outside my windows. It's funny how much you hear people talking about the rain, or lack of rain, whichever the case my be. The AJC (of which I'm not a big fan) even has a Weather VENT now. It's a place where people can comment on, or complain about, the weather. I happened upon it today and I thought one particular post summed it up pretty well "I love the weather vent. It's the epitome of complaning without any result."

It's amazing what the weather brings out in us and tells us about ourselves. We complain when it's hot and dry in the Summer. We complain when it rains too much, especially if it ruins "our plans" for the day. We complain when it's cold in the Winter (but want it to snow!). We complain about raking the leaves each Fall, and about the pollen that covers our cars in the Spring. We want the weather to "cooperate" with us, so that we can do our thing. If you don't believe it, ask yourself if you've ever said "well if the rain holds off" or "if mother nature will cut us some slack". The reality is that we have all probably complained about the weather at some point in our lives, because it has caused a change in our plans.

As I read that "Weather VENT" this morning, and even thought about how the storms that are forecast for later today are altering my plans, I was drawn to a verse in Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." It's true isn't it? We can plan our day out, schedule out our week, and even strategically map out our future, but it's inevitable that our plans change. One of the phrases used almost daily around Skipstone is "Okay guys, change of plans....".

Life never seems to happen like we plan. Often God allows us to go through storms that alter our course. Sometimes He allows us to find the end of ourselves in the deep waters of circumstances. Occasionally, we may go through dry seasons in our life, when nothing seems to be going right. Often we are distracted by the "pollen"... the residue that rests on us as a result of living in a sinful world.

When we go through those times, our perspective is that God is somehow trying to "rain on our parade"! We wonder why He allows things to happen that mess up our plans. After all, if we are spending time with Him, and attempting to live for Him, doesn't it make sense that He would want to bless our plans?

It all goes back to the thing that God is teaching me about perspective. I can only see what is behind me and where I am right now, and my perspective is limited even in that. But God's perspective is so much different than that. He sees everything in my path, and often He sends a storm, a flood, or a drought to direct my steps to the path that will ultimately be the best for me.

Here is the whisper....It is not God's desire to "rain" on your parade. His desire is to "REIGN" on your parade.

If we will surrender our plans to Him, we'll see the storms for what the really are.... divine interventions sent from the hand and heart of God to direct our steps.

Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

Let Him REIGN on your parade today!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip