Weather Network: "A wind and rain warning are in effect..."

Big, stormy, windy nights.
The rain hits angry on the window pane, and the wind can her heard from in my safe, cozy, warm house.
I love them!
It reminds me of growing up on the farm - our farm house was 100 years old and the roof was made of tin. When it rains, me and my sisters' bedroom was loud. I suppose when I was little, I would run across the hall to Dad and Mom's bed, where the wind didn't blow and the rain didn't pour.
Hmmmm.
A parable, if you will:


The Wise and Foolish Builders 
Matthew 7:25-27
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."


I recently read an 'aside note' from this familiar parable that in Sunday School, I would colour colouring sheets on. What can we learn from this story? 
Build your life on something solid: Christ. Do this by listening and obeying.
What else.
Both the foolish and the wise man went through storms.
The rains fell, there were floods, the wind blew strong.
It didn't matter the men's family backgrounds, marital status, income level, nationality, life experience, colour of hair or what kind of address they had. The storms still came.


And they are hard... and painful... and sometimes all you do is feel the wind and not know what direction to go. You feel the thunder and think the pain will never leave. The waters rise simultaneously with your panic.
Where's your safe house?
Where's your parents' bed?


Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
But those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles,
They will run and not grow weary,
They will walk and not grow faint.
-Isaiah 40:30-31


Hmmm. So how exactly does that look. What about the wind, floods and rain? Those are freaking scary! And confusing and discouraging and unappreciated.


Iy yi, and this?...
"We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
(Romans 5:3-5)


HOPE. 
It never dies.
It never disappoints.
No matter the storm.
Foundation.
TRUST.
Truth.
...unwavering?
Even in mad confusion?
Unwavering. 
Even when society tries to redefine truth a million times - there's got to be something constant, something to cling to that doesn't change every generation. Right??
Man I hope so, or else life is being tossed in the waves without a PFD: directionless, out of control and with no indication that it could possibly get better.


ALL THAT SAID, Lord, be my peace, my strength and my direction when I have no idea what's up with life-weather.
And I wish BC had more thunderstorms.
Good night.