Sometimes, the silver lining looks more like a frozen Tundra. In January, my husband and I were enjoying a relaxed three-week vacation with close friends on Anna Maria Island near Sarasota, Florida. The weather was warm and sunny, and our days were carefree. Each morning, we worked out at the gym, and in the afternoons, we walked along the beach, soaking up as much warm sunlight as possible. Evenings were full of delicious food, fun, and fellowship.
As the end of our third week was approaching, we started to get messages about an impending ice storm that was expected to hit our home in Middle Tennessee. It was scheduled to hit on the very Saturday that we were to drive home.
After some discussion, we reluctantly decided to cut our time in Florida short a couple of days and drive home on Thursday. Although a bummer, it was the right decision. By the time we got home and put away all our groceries, the storm had begun. In the South, we don’t experience many snowstorms, but when a winter storm hits, it’s chaotic. The last thing we want is to be trapped out on the highways during one.
Living through the storm
Ice storms are caused when falling snow melts in a layer of warm air. It then cools quickly as it passes through a thin layer of freezing temperature just above the surface. The freezing rain instantly sticks to cold objects on the ground. It continues to accumulate on those surfaces. This creates a layer of ice on everything it touches.
Besides making roadways extremely slippery and treacherous, ice can cause remarkable damage. Large, mature trees break off their limbs when they can no longer support the weight of the ice. Some become completely uprooted. They fall onto power lines, causing outages, and crash into rooftops, cars, or anything else beneath them. In our small neighborhood, at least fifty trees were completely down, or their branches were lying on the ground.
Many homes throughout the area were without electricity for weeks. For most, the absence of electricity meant no heat. The roads were so treacherous that, for the first few days, folks couldn’t even get to another place for warmth. If there is no heat in your home, bundling up underneath blankets and waiting is often the only choice.
We were thankful we didn’t lose power. Even so, our house never got fully warm. The heat pump couldn’t keep up with the frigid temperatures.
Another concern was that the water pipes would freeze and burst, resulting in extensive water damage to the home. My husband had the water dripping for days to prevent that scenario.
We were constantly texting our family and close friends. “How are you? Do you have power? Keep your phones charged up in case goes out!” We prayed for our friends and family who were without power, hoping ours wouldn’t go out.
When God paints
Still, no matter the storm, our creator never ceases to amaze me. He always brings an element of beauty into every situation.
I realized this after the sun came out, and we opened all the shades to allow some of its heat into our house. The temperature was still way below freezing. Nevertheless, the rays brought some extra warmth into our home. They also gave our central air some much-needed assistance.
It was then that I caught sight of the unusual beauty all around me. Looking out the window of my home, I observed everything covered in ice. It was breathtakingly beautiful. I couldn’t help but pause and thank God for this magnificent sight. The trees in my front yard are usually covered with full green leaves in the spring and summer, and show red, orange, and yellow hues in the fall. They were now covered with a layer of ice that glistened and sparkled against the dark blue sky.
The South froze, my heart softened
Being in the South, it didn’t take long for the temperatures to rise and the ice to turn into a wet, soggy mess. The neighbors emerged from their homes one by one. They began cleaning up their lawns, now strewn with downed trees and limbs. Chainsaws can be heard throughout the day.
While I welcomed the warmer weather with open arms, I felt a brief, unexpected sadness. What we just experienced was a phenomenon. The last ice storm of this size was thirty years ago. I realized I’ll probably never live to see another one like this again. In retrospect, I wish I had taken more time to sit and enjoy its beauty and dwelt less on the inconvenience and woe it brought.
It reminds me of the adage, “Two things can be true at once.” We should always be concerned for our well-being and that of our friends and family. We must also look out for our community during a storm. But at the same time, we can marvel at the way God brings a subtle beauty along with it.
Sometimes this beauty shows itself in the heartfelt prayers of family and friends. It also be in a neighbor who offers you a warm plate of food. Or it is in someone who gives you a place to stay when your home is inhabitable.
Other times, the awesome beauty of God’s creation reminds us that God exists. It also shows He is still in control. Like this day when he decided to bring out the sun to give the ice-covered trees a glowing shimmer.
When the storm finds you
What storm do you now find yourself in? In all probability, you are either going through one or have just come out of one. That’s the reality of life. If there’s not a storm in your recent past, assuredly one is lurking just around the corner. The question is, will you focus only on the storm’s nastiness and obtrusiveness? Or will you also look for the beauty in it? The first choice comes naturally. The second takes considerable effort.
In some cases, the storms are so horrific that the only beauty you have is the presence of the Holy Spirit comforting you there. I’ve been in those storms, too.
Our natural human condition doesn’t always seek out the silver lining behind the clouds, but when we do, we find it, and our spirits are perpetually lifted.
“Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me.” Psalm 50:23a NIV
For extra reading on finding gratitude when life isn’t going so well, check out this article.
Finding Perspective: Gratitude Amid Life’s Chaos – Duking Out Life: Finding Beauty in the Chaos of an Ice Storm