When I’m in a Zumba class, sometimes I don’t think I’ll make it all the way to the end. I’ll cruise through the warm-up, make it through 3 or 4 songs, and then somewhere in the middle I question my sanity for being there. (To be completely honest, there have been people who have questioned my sanity in other areas of my life, but that’s another story…) I know I’m not alone in my exhaustion, because I see people glancing at the clock and peeking at their watches. Just when I’m thinking of an excuse to sneak out of class, I hear my favorite words, “Last song.” It’s amazing how that changes my attitude. Instead of quitting, I finished!
In the testing times of life, you can keep going too. God is right there with you, giving you strength. Isaiah 40:28-31, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 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 be faint.” You can get through this. Your current challenge may seem insurmountable, but God has brilliant ways to deal with the impossible. Jesus said, “All things are possible for him who believes.” (Mark 9:23) So take some advice from Moses, who knew a thing or two about impossible situations, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today.” (Exodus 14:13)
The weather in this part of Ohio has been unusually warm for this time of year. Normally we experience temperatures in the 20’s and 30’s with various amounts of snow and wind. But this week brought open windows and fresh air, culminating with a day of sunshine and 70 degrees. People couldn’t help slipping into t-shirts and heading outside. Spirits lifted as the gray days of winter seemed to fade away. Unfortunately, the temperatures dropped and the winds picked up overnight, and flying by my window right now I see snow. It can be a little discouraging to feel spring so close only to have it snatched right back. But guess what? As the wind sways the trees and snow sprinkles my landscaping, peeking out of the soil is a spring flower. Do you know it’s name? It’s called hope.
Some time ago I flew to Texas to support a family I loved during a heart-wrenching time of trial. Struggling in the last days of his life was a husband, a father, and a friend. His loved ones faced the crisis in different ways: flat-out denial, avoidance, or quiet acceptance with inner turmoil. I tried to balance my time meeting the needs of everyone involved, including my friend who was in his final days. It wasn’t easy, but the prayers of many friends kept me upright. Flying home after that experience, I was weary and exhausted. I told God I had nothing left to give, and I was ready for the peace and rest of Heaven. Immediately I looked out the window and filling the sky was a massive, gorgeous rainbow. Moved to tears, deep inside me I felt these words, “It’s not your time. You have so many promises in front of you.”
Recently, I had the opportunity to paint an accent wall in a teenager’s room with a chevron design (think Charlie Brown’s t-shirt, with pink and gray for the colors). On another wall I painted Disney quotes, which brought to mind that sometimes we need to change our outlook on life. A few of the phrases were, “…because hakuna matata (translation: ‘no worries…’) and the bear necessities will always be our guide…” My personal favorite was “We believe in happy endings.” Although these lines are from Disney movies, they carry a good message.
Recently, my mom and I were driving along and suddenly came upon a dense fog. The visibility was better when we were in populated areas with a lot of lights, but it decreased as we headed towards the country roads. It was strange to have a destination in mind, but not be able to see too far ahead. We kept peering through the darkness to see if we recognized landmarks and strained to read the road signs. To our surprise, as we drove down a quiet country road, suddenly the fog lifted and we could see clearly. It was quite a relief to see the entire road in front of us and even look into the distance and see exactly where we were headed.
I bought a bicycle like they use in Spin Classes at the gym. You know, the classes where all the participants look like they’ve been chiseled out of granite? Yep, I have that bike. It’s actually pretty hilarious as my body feels like it was formed from a large box of Play Doh. As I ride, I watch a Spin Class video and I think the instructor can read my mind. Just when I am thinking I might stop she says, “Don’t quit now! You can do this!” So I keep going. When I think I am not going to make it to the end, she says, “Come on, you’re an athlete, show us how it’s done!” (For some reason Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Glory Days’ is going through my mind…) I’m happy to say with the extra encouragement I usually make it through the workout, but I keep hoping it’s going to get a little easier.
The wind is blowing fiercely today on the eve of the New Year. Maybe Mother Nature wants to make a parting statement when the rest of the world is simply looking forward to a new beginning. A meteorologist could explain where the wind gets its strength, but he probably couldn’t tell us where to get it when we need it. If the previous year left you tired, a little broken and on your knees, there is a place you can go to refuel. 
When my large family celebrates Christmas together, we generate alot of trash. After the gifts are opened, the living room looks like a hurricane came through. There are boxes, paper, cardboard, and tissue paper strewn all over the floor, chairs, and sometimes on people (mostly from my brothers throwing paper ‘bombs’ at me). Don’t get me started on the kitchen, as food is consumed at a rapid rate and the trash can gets filled and the bag replaced repeatedly throughout the day. When the parties are over and the last eggroll is eaten, we sort the things we recycle from the things we call trash. Either way, it all gets hauled out.
One year, my family took a vacation to Lake Tahoe. We lugged a variety of suitcases and backpacks through the airport to check-in. As we stood in the long line waiting, we watched as dozens of bags were weighed, identifications shown, and seat assignments given. When we finally got to the front of the line, they weighed my sister-in-law’s bag and discovered it was too heavy to meet the weight requirements. So right there in front of everyone she had to open her luggage and lighten the load. Digging through well-packed clothes, carefully placed shoes, and strategically placed accessories, she decided what items would be left behind. Quite frankly, she really wanted to take it all with her.
A very unusual phenomenon happened this week in our area-a number of schools were cancelled for the whole day because of fog. The adults were certainly surprised but the kids were nothing but excited. Not snow, not freezing rain, but fog kept them at home! Kids love an extra day off from school. Could it happen again? Some teachers told the students it’s unlikely but the students refused to believe it. Why? They were filled with hope.