And the Wind Blows...

When it begins to get warm outside, one of the things that Steve and I love to do is open the windows and begin to let that air work the winter stale out of the house. Steve opened the window in our bedroom last night before bed because it was still relatively warm and we needed to release the humidity from the bath I had taken anyways. As we lay in bed getting ready to drift to sleep, one of the last things Steve said to me was "Wow... it's really quiet outside". There was no wind, no rain, only the sound of crickets came drifting up to our ears through the window. Stillness, quiet. It was relaxing and a soothing sound to fall asleep to; it was almost like a natural lullaby.

A few hours passed, and I was woken by the sound of a howling, whipping wind. I listened as the wind shook the gutters outside my window, listened as the leaves that never fell from the trees last fall hung on for dear life, and every so often the wind chimes on my neighbor's front porch would clang together and send their notes into the night. It was enough of a difference to wake me up from a relatively sound sleep and hold me captive.

I could have gotten up and shut the window. I could have blocked out the noise and gone right back to sleep. Steve continued in his restful slumber, unmindful of the cacophony that was happening right outside and coming in through the open window. So I continued to lay there, listening. I felt compelled to. As I was listening, I felt these words upon my heart:

"Be still and know that I am God."

I lay there listening to the wind knowing that there was no risk of danger of trees falling. The window screen was not going to suddenly fall into the middle of the bedroom and nothing was going to be knocked over by a strong gust coming in and blowing over our stuff. Steve continued to lay there not knowing the show that God was putting on right outside our window. I listened further to the gusty air blowing around, listened as the wind chimes sounded again.

"Be still and know that I am God."

The words continued to be felt on my heart. I listened to that wind and the leaves and the wind chimes and the whistles of the air as it blew by the window and gutters and let it lull me back to sleep. God was there with each passing breeze, each gust that blew. He was in the soft undertones of the breath of my husband next to me and He was the one knocking the wind chimes together. The song was beautiful that had woken me from my sleep. I lay still and took comfort in the fact that God was there - God IS here. There will be winds, there will be storms... but God is my refuge and ever present strength.

I lay still, I felt His presence, I drifted back to sleep. When I woke, the wind had stopped - and the voice on the alarm clock radio advised that it would be back as the day went on. I looked outside and saw the leaves on our neighbor's willow tree shift... and smiled.