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3 life lessons when the storm clouds roll in…

Filed Under: America's Farm Table, Family Values, Life in North Dakota Tagged With: , , , 4 Comments

The storm clouds finally rolled in late yesterday afternoon. After a lush spring and early summer, we are dry and need rain. There are counties in North Dakota in a drought now. It is not as severe as the disaster areas of other areas of the country. But it is critical to get rain in many areas of our prairie now. As my mom blogged about at GriggsDakota, It Almost Rained both in our area and my family’s farm area over the past weeks but has missed us. Therefore, I have turned into the frenzied weather watcher. I check the radar on my phone often. I look at daily, 36 hours and even 10 day forecasts. I’m always looking on the horizon for storm clouds. 
Storm clouds in life happen. Sometimes you see them coming. Other times they blindside you. 
I saw these storm clouds. I was alone in the house when I looked out the window to see the eastern horizon. The kids were at the farm. Nathan was working with his dad. I looked at my phone to see the radar, thanks to Weather Channel for that fantastic free app. Indeed, a storm was rolling in.
I grabbed my camera and went to shut our barn doors, home to our three new kitties.

 The wind was already whipping up dust. And to the south it was dark blue.

I stopped and the wind nearly took my breath away but I stopped to pray for rain, just a quick pretty please.

It seemed to be getting closer. The tree tops were gusting from the southwest.

I rushed back inside, ready to hunker down for the rain, ready to watch the thirsty ground soak it and ready to call my mom to tell her it was raining at our house.

But the rain never came. It rained in our county though which is a blessing to those to the south of us. I was reminded though of a few life lessons from the clouds.

1. Don’t assume the storm clouds are headed right for you. In life, be prepared but carry on because waiting only wastes time.
2. God doesn’t answer your prayers on command or on demand. Sure I wanted rain yesterday. But other friends received rain on their land. There were blessings in the clouds, just not for us yesterday. Our turn will come.

3. Focus on the light, not on the darkness. Storms bring darkness, literally and figuratively. But there is always a light you can focus on today. I have friends that have watched their livelihoods shrivel in this year’s drought across the United States. But as my friend Leah pointed out this is Why Farmers Need Crop Insurance and my friend Darin blogged, Drought Happens. Both are excellent farm family explanations of the drought and impact on not just them personally but the entire farm to plate food chain…which includes each of us that eat. I assume that’s all of us. 
I won’t be hovering over the radar anymore this summer. I won’t be trying to predict the weather. I will still pray for rain for all that need a good soaking of rain. And when it finally rains, when the storm clouds do indeed roll right into our corner of the prairie, I will relish in the refreshment of fresh, life giving rain. The darkness won’t hold me back or bring me down when the storm clouds arrive. I will focus on the light, the hope and the renewal of rain. 
How has the drought impacted you so far this year?

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  4. Michelle says

    We have been getting some rain recently. We were without it for quite a long while with those crazy high temperatures. Love the pics of the storms rolling through your prairie.

    Reply

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