The God In the Thunderstorm

I love thunder. It reminds me of power - God's power, on display for all to hear.

When lightning cracks the sky, I think of how small I am compared to a God like that.

But still He sends rain to quench our thirsty ground.

And did you know that thunder is only the sound of lightning? Yeah, that big scary boom is just the power-noise of lightning. And did you know that lightning is the spark kindled by masses of electrons and protons surging towards each other? Lightning is just a mega-version of those shocks you feel going down a slide at the park. And it is the rain droplets in the clouds that rub together to created the static electricity for the lightning. So instead of your body rubbing the slide to create a shock, it's like the clouds are holding a big dance party for baby raindrops. And somehow they rub enough to create a lightning-shock.

So thunder is the loud, awesome announcement of the brilliant power created by the rain before it falls. 

That's the science behind the thunderstorm.

But I think there is more than just science behind it. 

I think there is a God smack in the middle. 

Am I crazy to think that thunderstorms illustrate the Trinity?

I imagine that lightning is like God the Father, 

sheer power and glory, 

blinding 

unfathomable 

light.

I imagine that Jesus is the shock wave 

born of the Father,

rumbling power sent forth 

to shake the very foundations of this earth.

I imagine that the rain is the Holy Spririt, a very part of the other two 

sent down to quench thirsty ground

to bring vibrant life

Like Pentecost could have been a torrent of Spirit falling that 

hasn't 

let up 

since.

Spring Beauty Earring Tutorial

Aren't these pretty?

I love pink and green together, especially if it's in delicate dangling style. I call these my spring beauty earrings. ;)

And guess what? You can make some too! But yours can be blue and green or orange and pink and red or any springy color combo you have the nail polish for. 

Yup, you read that right... nail polish! That's the secret behind these earrings. The color is supplied by something nearly every girl has stashed in her room!

How to make Spring Beauty Earrings

This is what you need:

A couple colors of nail polish

Thin wire

Wire cutters/benders (our tool does both)

Paper towel (or something to wipe up any messes with)

Pin cushion

2 Earring hooks

2 jump rings (I used 4mm, you can use whatever size you like or even make your own)

2 earring backs

1. Bend the end of the wire into a teardrop shape with the wire-benders.

2. Keep bending and twisting until you like the shape and number of loops - I did seven.

3. "Paint" the loops with nail polish. It may take a bit to get the polish to form a film inside the loop, but keep working at it. If it just won't fill in the loop, the loop may be too big or the nail polish too runny. 

4. Put it somewhere to keep it upright while it dries - I used a pin cushion.

5. Once dry, bend the extra wire into a tiny loop a bit lower than you want the earring to attach to the earring hook. 

6. Use a jump ring to attach the tiny loop you made to the earring hook. The jump rings are on the far left in the picture below... they typically are open to begin with, and you just have to pinch them closed with pliers or a wire bending tool. 

And there you are, folks! Gorgeous spring colors to grace your May outfits with!

Blessed

Tonight for supper we had blueberries. And strawberries. And chips. 

One of my chips was so salty-good that I had to close my eyes.

Which made me remember how one of my friends mentioned that she loves it when people really enjoy their food. Like when someone bites into a marvelously juicy apple and their face lights up. Or how I close my eyes and grin like a crazy person when I have ice cream with chocolate and peanut butter in it. 

Boy, am I blessed. I mean, strawberries and blueberries and potato chips?

I bet there are hundreds of girls my age who have never tasted fresh juicy fruit. 

I know there are thousands who survive on garbage - food that would make my stomach turn at the smell.

And at my house we complain when we have rice-and-bean-and-corn-and-cheese casserole. With dessert afterwards. 

Boy, am I ashamed. 

Because even leftovers from my house would be a feast to a precious girl in Africa. 

I have so much. So, so much. 

And all I can say is Thank you, Lord.

Why you've seen fit to bless me with strawberries and not them...

It's a mystery to me. Jesus, show me how to love them, show me how to feed them.

But right now...

Thank you, Lord.

for blueberries 

and strawberries 

and chips.

Tonight

I am so thankful.

Life's been a crazy jam packed full cup of growing up.

But tonight God let me drive, windows down. Campfires and open fields dancing through the car.

Tonight God told me to look up, to breathe in the stars. 

And I needed that. I needed to find the northern star, see Orion in his place. 

Sometimes I just need to know that God has a place for me. And that all this craziness has a purpose. 

So if you feel like you're spinning in circles or being stretched right thin to snap...

Look for Jesus. And be thankful

Of the late tired nights

And sore muscles

And braces

Whiffs of summer

And the stars. 

A Rhythm in the Running

I've been running a lot lately. Running behind my to-do list, running to get to bed at a reasonable hour, running to get some schoolwork done. And literal running, too. Five miles yesterday, two on Friday and four on Wednesday.... 

With the drumming of my feet on the ground, my breathing gets ragged and how do I catch my breath? 

There's this thing I've been doing, each day like breathing, that helps keep the rhythm of living while running. 

It started with the Joy Dare - a treasure hunt for three gifts from God every single day - and it brought spreading, expanding life. 

Somehow it didn't stay at three "thank you's" a day. It came natural-like, this seeing, receiving, this inhaling of God's blessings. This exhaling of thanks. 

When your life finds a rhythm, can you not let it take over? 

This breathing in of the blessings, this breathing out of thanks. 

Ooh, smoke drifting from a rustic farm smokestack - that's the inhaling.

Thank you, Lord. - the exhale, relief. 

So glad I have good legs to run with... Inhale.

Thanks, Jesus!  Exhale.

Breathe. 

And when you find a rhythm in the running, it expands by itself. 

I didn't have to force myself to look for new blessings, because breathing is natural. Once you breathe out, can you ever not want to breathe back in again? 

Try it, I dare you. Print out the Joy Dare, and write out three blessings with me each day. 

Instead of gasping for breath in the running of life, try breathing with the rhythm of thanks.