Wednesday, December 09, 2009

It was a dark and rainy night...


The wind whipped. The rain pounded down so hard that it woke me up more than once. A little after 7 am, I heard the soft and tentative tweeting of a bird. I smiled. "It was a nasty night," I thought. "I am glad the birds survived."

Then my mind began to wander to other animals: squirrels, possums, raccoons, skunks, frogs, and deer. Where do they hide and what do they do when it rains so hard and the wind is so fierce?

And what about homeless people and those with holes in their roofs or broken windows or who live in areas that tend to flood? The other night at 24-7, I overheard a man and woman talking. The man was describing where he lived, "out in the woods behind the air conditioning place around the corner." I wonder how he fared last night, as well as the other people who live there in that wooded area along with him.

While snuggled cozily in bed this morning, I thanked God for our home, sturdy, warm, and strong.
And I lifted up those who must have woken up quite soggy and cold this morning.
I forget to pray for the suffering of other people far more often than I would care to admit.
I am glad that the sound of the bird singing this morning reminded me to take up the mantle again.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

3 comments:

MaryAnn Mease said...

i like this...yes, guilty and grateful here too.

Anonymous said...

Me, too. Lisa and I pray the morning office together most days, and fortunately, the petitions are very wide and encompassing. Otherwise, I'd fail at it again, and again, too.

Wild weather all around, eh? Come, Lord Jesus.

GailNHB said...

You are blessed to have Lisa to pray with. It does help to have a partner. Yes, Lord, do come quickly. There is wild weather and wild happenings all around us. More to pray for, so much more to pray for.