Storm Clouds

The other day I told someone about a dear friend of mine who is very ill.  For her birthday she was given a few nights at a suite on the bluff above the beach at the Oregon Coast.  I mentioned that I was praying that the weather would be good – sunshine, blue skies, no clouds and gorgeous sunsets.  He is a mariner, a sea captain.  His words touched my heart in more ways than he knew.  He said, ‘You can’t have the beautiful sunsets with the clouds.’  Wow!  Did that ever strike home.  There have been a lot of clouds in my life over the past weeks – but there have also been some sunsets - sent from the hand of my Heavenly Father in the middle of the storm.

A few weeks ago we spent a few days at a beautiful lake high in the Cascade Mountains of Central Oregon.  The days were sunny and clear, the evenings warm.  One evening clouds began to roll in and we knew there was a storm coming.  Before the storm, God gave us clouds.  And a sunset.  He painted the sky - a show of His incredible artistry - for us to remember during the night when the storm’s fury woke us from sleep.  Our campsite was right across the lake from a beautiful mountain.  You can see its beauty here.  As the clouds rolled in, it wasn’t long before they covered the mountain.The lake began to reflect the colors that filled the sky.
 It wasn’t long before the mountain disappeared, the colors began to fade and darkness filled the night.    

Clouds come floating into my life,
no longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky.

Rabindranath Tagore