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.
Life can be that way at times. We’re headed into a bright future and suddenly there’s an unexpected change and we’re not sure which way to turn. Things can seem dark all around us, but it’s not going to stay that way. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5) When all seems lost, God promises to lead us. “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” (Isaiah 42:16) Even if our world is a bit foggy right now, we can keep moving forward. We have this assurance: “…light will come bursting in.” (Psalm 114:4) Let’s keep our hopes up and our eyes on the road, because there’s light just around the corner.
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. 
I’m a Cleveland Browns fan. On most Sunday afternoons my tv will be tuned into the game. But sometimes when the game gets frustrating, a nap sounds like a good alternative option. But my mom and niece Dawn are diehard fans. Here’s proof: One year they got tickets to go to a Steelers vs. Browns game, at Heinz Field. It was one of those Sunday afternoons when the snow is falling relentlessly in a blizzard-type atmosphere and anyone even thinking of going to a game should have their head examined. Yet Dawn and mom bundled up and covered all those layers with Brown’s coats, hats, and scarves. As they boarded the downtown Pittsburg bus the place was packed with Steeler fans. And every single one went silent when they saw the audacity of two orange and brown-dressed fans. (Pause for awkward silence…) Then finally the words, “Brown’s fans sit in the back.” Can anyone relate to this? Are you the fan that will cheer for your team even if the odds are stacked against you?
I recently went on a long train ride in Arizona. We looked at rocky canyons, saguaro cactus, and valleys with slow moving streams. One curve while traversing a canyon took us through a dark, winding tunnel. It was a long one and we couldn’t help but wonder if we’d ever get to the other side. And then we saw a ray of light peeking through the darkness, and as we moved forward it got brighter and brighter, until the light burst through and overtook the darkness. In our lives, we sometimes come across those black tunnels, times when we wonder if we’ll ever be happy again, or free from worry, or from pain and sickness.
In Ohio, the weather can be unpredictable. (I think I just heard someone call me ‘Captain Obvious.’) A week ago we had one such evening that I’ll call ‘Interesting’. Although we had temperatures hovering in the 70’s a few days before, this night it began to snow. I wish I could says that’s all it did, but Ohio let loose with every type of weather in its arsenal. We experienced periods of snow, then hail, and a little freezing rain for good measure. After that the sun came out for a minute, and the next thing I knew it was raining. Thunder and lightning followed, sprinkled with a few more snowflakes. At times it was a white blanket out my window, and then I saw the sun charge through the clouds. This roller coaster of weather went on for some time, and was impossible not to watch, as one second hail piled up in my landscaping, and then was abruptly washed by rain. On and on the changes went, each overshadowing the former.
I like to watch the NCAA basketball tournament. But sometimes I’m busy when a game I really want to see is on. When that happens, I record the game so I can watch it later. I try to avoid hearing who won the game before I watch it, but today I saw a news clip that let me know the winning team. Knowing the ending really changed my reactions during the game. When you know the finale, you can relax during the tense times. Even when it seems all is lost, you can know for a fact that it is all going to come out perfect in the end. This makes me think of Good Friday. I can’t imagine how the disciples felt when it was happening in real time, but here’s the good news for us: we know the ending! Friday had to be a dark, frightening time for the disciples, but we now know Sunday is coming. And Sunday changes everything!