Finding beauty in every storm is a choice we all can make, and why not? Because Jesus lives, there is always hope.

We were hit with a winter storm this year, call me crazy but, it's really beautiful. Something about it is so mesmerizing to me. 

And I'm not sitting in central heat and planning a nice warm shower as I write this either. We along with others are going on day 3 of no power which means freezing cold days and even worse nights (the fireplace doesn't reach our beds). The fireplace heats the family room. The children sleep by the fireplace which dies out around 2 in the morning, which means dad has to get up and rebuild it and get it going again. The bright side is at least we have a fireplace and it's been fun roasting marshmellows and hotdogs in it :) We also have no running water, no phone signal, a text here and here might make it through. And now I'm going through the fridge throwing stuff out that just didn't make it, praying to God my freezer stays somewhat cold or that's going to be purged out next. Even if the power does come back on today, the shelf life of some food has been shortened. But you know what? At least we have food. At least we were able to use up some of it before it went bad. At least we have a cooler on the back patio keep some stuff cold. We've also had the sweetest people checking on us too, and our church family letting us use the facilities for showers and such, that's been a HUGE blessing! 

Anyway, the storm has left some very beautiful scenes and some not so beautiful but what we choose to focus on is a decision we all get to make, I choose the beauty and wanted my kids to do the same. I wanted it to be a lesson that in every storm of life, there is beauty somewhere in it, find it and focus on that. I believe Paul was finding the bright side, that ray of hope when he wrote this letter to them, look at verse 8 and 9:

My son brought all these icicles inside that he had pulled off the pump house and he shines his flashlight on them and said, "Watch Mom, how pretty and sparkling they get!" as his teeth chattered. 

 

We are hopeful for a lot of things this evening and continue praying for God's protection for everyone and safety. On the bright side, this too shall pass,  when heaven is your final stop, everything on earth has to pass sooner or later :)