Historic Hysterics

   Today is Kalispell's first "sticking" snow of the season--sticking, defined as snow that accumulates rather than disappears when it hits the pavement. From the hubbub the weather forcasters/guessers made a month ago, one would believe snow is unheard of in Montana. Last month we were inundated with warnings about a HISTORIC snow storm. These days everything is sensationalized--political news, perceived insults, even weather, but I still find it annoying. After all the historic hysterics, the storm did not even hit here, though it left feet of snow around Glacier Park and east of the mountains. Admittedly, so much snow is unusual for September, even in Montana, so terms like unseasonable, early, record setting are appropriate. But historic? Historic is for things like Lake McDonald Lodge, the flood of 1964, the eruption of Mt. St. Helens, not preseason snow.
    I believe the weatherpeople used the term "historic" just to make a fairly dull, and often inaccurate, part of the news draw attention. Especially from the national weather channels who would otherwise scarcely notice a snowstorm in Montana. The solution to news channels sensationalizing the mundane, is not for the weather channel to jump on the bandwagon. It is bad enough when a forecast of normal winter weather is now deemed an "advisory". A storm (also normal winter weather) is announced as an "alert". A blizzard that wouldn't even have cancelled school when I was growing up (and most kids walked to school), is now "emergency travel only".  This is the reason many people don't take evacuation orders seriously before a __________________ (insert weather disaster here). The inevitable result of histrionic inundation is historic indifference.

Mary, Did You Know?

     The title is not referring to the song we hear at Christmas, although I think it is beautiful and has, as I write this, burrowed itself deep into my brain. What I wonder about Mary is if she knew her children would come to faith. She knew Jesus was the Savior of the world and her personal Savior. But Mary had other children that she loved. They each had to choose to accept Jesus as their Savior just as we do now. We know from Mark 6:3 that Jesus had four brothers--James, Joseph, Jude and Simon and an unknown, unnamed number of sisters. We also know from John 7:5 that during Jesus' earthly ministry, even his own brothers did not believe in Him. They were not even there to support Mary at the crucifixion, or Jesus would have given the care of his mother to one of them instead of his disciple, John. (John 19:26). Since James and Jude wrote books of the New Testament, and James was an early leader in the Jerusalem church, we know they believed. But Joseph and Simon are not mentioned. I wondered if they ever came to faith. And then I read Acts 1:14, "They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers." Stuck casually in the list of those who gathered in prayer to await the coming of the Holy Spirit is the answer to my question and, I'm sure, Mary's prayers--her sons believed.
     I think that if Mary had her way, her sons would have believed while Jesus was still on earth. It must have broken her heart to see them mocking, instead of supporting, Him. Even in the unsaved world, there is an expectation that brothers will stick together. She must have wondered, when the miracles and her own faith could not convince them, if anything would. I could not imagine the God who had chosen Mary to bear His Son would let her bear the pain of not knowing all her children would be with her in heaven. I knew that fear for my own prodigal until God showed me He was pursuing my son in our unforgettable experience on the road to Rimrock, in the post I call "Stone Pillar". That settled the question for me, God cannot fail to capture those He pursues.
     As my newborn granddaughter proves, physical birth can now be scheduled and induced, but spiritual birth happens only in God's timing. Not Mary's. Not mine. The when is not for me to know.

Ripples

     Recently our family flock was blessed by the arrival of another granddaughter. It made me think about the way love seems to expand in ripples. When I was young, I loved my parents and (perhaps, to a lesser degree) my siblings. The family I grew up in was my epicenter of love. My love for them did not lessen, but I knew there was a love greater than a child's for her family, and I found that in Reed. Not all at once. Not a great romantic splash. Just the irresistible pull of a man who loved me unwaveringly. I could not imagine a love greater than I had for my husband. Then I had a baby, and it took love to a whole new level. I loved my husband as much as ever, but I loved my daughter with a fierceness that amazed me. I would die for her. I would kill to protect her. The two sons that followed did not diminish that wave of love, but I was no longer surprised by it. I couldn't imagine loving anyone more than I loved my children. Then I became a grandmother, the ripple spread. Love had expanded again. Love for my children was the lens that magnified love for my grandchildren. Now I cannot imagine loving anyone more than I love my granddaughters. But someday, if I become a great-grandmother, I will probably find love has expanded another ripple.
     But these are human loves, where does the love of God come in? God provided the water that forms the ripples. God threw the stone that placed me in a loving family. God's loving guidance drew me to my soulmate. God's unconditional love was the pattern for raising my children. God's abundant love blessed me with grandchildren. God's limitless love spreads those ripples to many others besides my family. And God's eternal love will one day carry me home.
   So rest in that love baby Julie, those waves will rock you all of your life.