Out of the Wind...

Last Sunday as we headed to Chapel, the wind was blowing like crazy ... at about 50 mph.  Driving along the desert Highway 10 proved quite a challenge. Thankfully, my little PT Cruiser comes with a compass, so I don't get lost when the windblown dust makes it almost  impossible to see.  Then comes the hard part... getting out of the car. Walking into the Chapel in these extreme conditions should qualify as an Olympic sport!  I held Annabelle's hand as we fought our way across the parking lot, and I wondered why I had bothered to fix my hair.  I mean, there's not enough hairspray in the Lone Star State to withstand this kind of abuse!  But as soon as we stepped inside the doors of the Chapel, there was an immediate calm.  No more wind undoing my do; no more dust in my eyes, no more flashbacks to a scene in The Wizard of Oz.   There was only a sense of peacefulness and warmth.  As we took our seats near the back, the light of the sun filtered in through the stained glass windows to illuminate the beauty of the small sanctuary.  The Chaplain had us open our Bibles, and that's when it occurred to me.   When the circumstances of life overwhelm me, when strong winds blow... as they will... there is indeed a place where I can find peace and warmth and protection.  The Word of God is that place.  By sitting down and opening His Word, I can find a sense of peace even though the winds are raging wildly just outside the door.  I can get my bearings once again and the strength to go back out into the wind.