Sunny South Dakota

I have spent lots of time in the sunny south. South Denver, South Vietnam, Mississippi, southern California; and now South Dakota.

As I look out the patio window, I can see the leftovers of our snow storm on Monday. And the weather report looks like more snow on Easter Sunday. I can't help but wonder if this is truly an after effect of glow bull warming. "Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the birdies is..." I see some of the trees have already started budding. I thought it was not nice to fool mother nature.

My thoughts switch to the passage found in the gospel of Matthew chapter 5: "For [God] makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (NKJV). In my military mind, I believe it is impossible for us to be able to affect the weather... we are created beings, and in my lifetime, I have not seen a creation affect the creator or the created. I am sure it can be said, well, we did create axes and saws, and they can have a profound effect on us... well, sure, but not by themselves.

In spite of our obsession with extraterrestrial life and mutated animals; I have yet to see any machine, of its own accord, get up and attack someone. I know the news people like to herald their articles with words like, "SUV attacks crowd on busy street" or "SUV drives into neighborhood swimming pool" or "handgun kills youth at russian roulette party".

Sixteen years in the Marine Corps, and I never once saw any type of firearm, get up and shoot somebody, without another person aiming and firing. Eight years of owning an SUV, and not once has my SUV ever pulled out of where I parked it; nor has it gone somewhere, while I am driving it, other than where I steered it.

So, where is this thought going?

We control the things we have created; they can do nothing without our involvement. In the same way, we have been created, and we can do nothing without the involvement of the Creator. We can try to do good things for others, but if God is not involved in what we do, and our reason(s) for doing them, quite often they can become problems rather than benefits.

As I sit here and look at the leftover snow, and contemplate the probable additonal snow coming this weekend, I am grateful that God knows where I am, and in spite of the nasty weather, He keeps my heart warm. And I know that He is willing to do that with anyone who desires to trust Him.