Atmospheric River

[1]

 

Psalm 135:7 Good News Translation

⁷ He brings storm clouds from the ends of the earth;
    he makes lightning for the storms,
    and he brings out the wind from his storeroom.

 

We have had at least 12 “atmospheric rivers” go through Riverside this rainy season. That was a new term in my book this year. This is certainly unusual for us desert rats. Almost weekly another storm has blown up across the Pacific Ocean and dumped rain on us. In towns that are built on flat ground the water can’t run off fast enough, and so it leaves floods.

 Here is a picture of the little town (about 3,000 people) of Pajaro, California, shows the flood they experienced. Or if it is at sufficient altitude, it leaves piles of snow, like it has in Mammoth Lakes, California.

 Mammoth, California  [3]

Pajaro, California [2]  

We are in hilly country, so the excess water runs away as fast as it comes down from the skies.

Sylvia said to me the other day in serious concern, “Our swimming pool is running over.”

“Isn’t that marvelous?” I rejoiced. “And it hasn’t cost us a penny!” We haven’t had to top it up for at least three months. I usually have to add water to my swimming pool once a fortnight due to evaporation. I haven’t had to this season.

Our desert hills that surround out home are usually a very dry brown color. However, rains came early—the hills were green for Thanksgiving last November. They are still a beautiful green. Two slopes in front of our house are orange from the California poppies growing wild on them. Almost every day we take Katie on an hour walk through the hills. She loves the freedom to run anywhere without a leash

Yesterday we counted over 40 different kinds of wildflowers that were blooming along the walk. We also saw our first rattlesnake of the season coiled up in a niche in the rock to absorb the spring sunshine and escape the chill breeze. So now we will all have to keep our eyes open to more than flowers for the rest of the spring.

Thank You, Lord, for making our desert blossom like a rose[4], and for keeping us safe from the snares that Satan puts in our way.

 

 

 

 

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[1] https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--orBwvbC6--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_900,q_80,w_1600/iyjxqzqds5mjsoxc6yuw.jpg

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/13/california-weather-atmospheric-river-flooding

[3] Ibid.

[4] Isaiah 35:1 (HCSB) The wilderness and the dry land will be glad the desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose;

 

Be Still And Know

 

[1]

Psalm 46:10 King James Version

¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God

 

Often while I am sitting at my desk writing, our doggie, Katie, will come in and lie down at my feet. She will stay there as long as I don’t leave. She loves to accompany me when I go somewhere, and I think she finds that if she is with me, I’ll often take her along. If she is not with me, she may miss out on being with me when I do something else.

At least once a day we like to take a walk. If it’s daylight, then we walk in the hills surrounding our home. Once she is in the hills, I can let her off the leash, and she can run all over and explore her surroundings. If she detects a scent in a hole, she will dig in it vigorously, hoping to dislodge the occupant. She fancies herself a great hunter.

Often, we will dog sit our son’s dog, Oso.  When I’m sitting at my desk, Katie will assume her post at my feet. Oso will continuously pace the floor. When the time stretches as I write, Oso will eventually lie down. There is one big difference, however: Katie relaxes on her side; Oso lies down with all four paws under him ready to move at his slightest whim. He is constantly restless.

Katie has lived with us about 4 years and trusts us implicitly. She knows that we love her and will do the best we can for her. Oso doesn’t fully trust us; he questions our love for him. That seems natural—after all, Katie is at home, and Oso isn’t. However, the dogs behave the same way when they are both with my son. Oso is still the restless one. There appears to be a basic difference in the nature of the two.

You have noticed, of course, that there are some people who spend their time worrying while others seemed to be relaxed about their future. I think God is trying to tell us that we can trust Him with our future. After all, He is God. He promises us that He will do the best for us. He is God!

Thank You, Lord, that You are God. You always do the best for us. Help me to rest confidently in Your care.

 

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[1] https://post.bark.co/health/why-does-my-dog-lie-on-my-feet/

Annoying Children and Their Mothers

[1]

Luke 18:16

Holman Christian Standard Bible

¹⁶ Jesus, however, invited them: “Let the little children come to Me, and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

 

In rural Africa where I grew up, we used to drive to many places that you won’t find on any map. This would sometimes be on footpaths or even bundu-bashing. Often, we would decide to stop and eat lunch, choosing a spot a long way from any visible human habitation and with no telltale crisscrossing footpaths to indicate that people passed that way. Or, fortunately less often, we might puncture a tire and have to stop in order to replace the flat tire with the spare or, even worse, have to patch the tire.

When this happened, we would sit there, quietly minding our own business. We were making no noise, not even a blaring radio, and our conversation would be at normal levels, if at all. Yet, after a few minutes, someone would look up and see a child standing some ten or twenty feet away (3–6 m). A few minutes later there would be five children. Each would be wearing a short skirt or pair of short pants and maybe a well perforated top, all roughly the color of the earth around us. All were barefoot with skin also the color of the surrounding dirt. Typically, they had flies swarming about their eyes, which they never shooed away. They would stand there absolutely still, just like statues. And like little statues, they stood in absolute silence and simply stared.

The longer we lingered there, the more children would appear until we had a ring of children all around us. They stared expressionlessly at this strange sight of a stopped vehicle and strangers apparently amusing themselves.

This is how I imagine Christ’s travels were. Most people walked everywhere: there were no cars. They undoubtedly often stopped in the shade. And always there were children. At times the disciples would get a bit irritated with all these children clustering around all the time. Then when the mothers brought their children to Jesus, this must have been the last straw in their minds. Jesus put them straight, gently, and showed how much he respected the value of the little children.

Lord, help us remember the value of little children in Your kingdom.

 

 

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[1] https://thepreachersword.com/2012/07/09/jesus-loves-the-little-children/