The Calm After the Storm

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Yesterday afternoon I drove half an hour to Cookeville to do some errands. One stop was a paint store where I purchased a couple of sample quarts. I arrived during the last hour before closing time. I enjoyed a friendly conversation with one of the two shopkeepers on duty while he went the extra mile to mix paint exactly like I wanted. He even gave me a discount.

Suddenly the “bottom fell out” of the gray sky. A hard rain almost obscured the view out the front windows. Soon hail began to fall, first a little larger than peas and then with a sprinkle of hail almost a half inch in diameter and a few that were 3/4 to one inch. I kept looking out the glass doors and wondering what to do. I asked if the store had a spare umbrella. The answer was no, but I doubt that it would have done much good in the deluge.

I talked to Ray on the phone and texted him a video of the falling hail, and I waited, knowing that the employees wanted to leave, even though it was nearly a half hour before the planned closing time. One of them had already said that he was leaving since he didn’t think anyone else would come in.

I wasn’t keen on getting either drenched or pelted with the falling hail. I stood around. I watched. I waited. I took more video and texted it to Ray so he could hear the pealing thunder, too.

Soon my friendly shopkeeper told me that he was going to lock one of the front doors, but leave the other door open. Both he and the other shopkeeper were both kind but I certainly felt that they would like to me to leave, even though there was still about 20 minutes until closing time.

Then my friendly helper did a very kind thing. “Would you like me to drive your car up?” he asked. I wondered for about a second if that was really a good idea, before deciding and saying, “That would be great!”

Out my young hero went into the rain (by then the hail had stopped). He drove my car as close as he could to the step by the front door. He got out, leaving the driver door open. I was grateful to look up and see a rather wide porch roof. Instead of being drenched and pelted, I traversed maybe a foot or two of open, raining sky before I was in my dry car. I thanked my hero profusely.

I wondered what to do next. I didn’t really want to be driving around in that rain, nor did I want to dash in and out of it to finish my errands. I called a friend to see if they were at home. She invited me over before I could even ask. However, while I talked to her in the paint store parking lot, the rain let up. I decided to do one more errand. After that Ray urged me to come on home. I gladly complied.

By the time I got near our home, the rain was only a sprinkle and the landscape was beautiful. I don’t remember a time when everything—including the river—was green. During the last few minutes of my drive, I stopped at three places to capture the beauty.

Here’s the river from the bridge—first facing downriver . . .

. . . and then facing upriver.

We sometimes see people fishing from the bridge, but this is the spot where we see them most often.

When I reached the meadow near our home, I could see some gold with the green and also this beautiful Queen Anne’s lace by the fencerow.

Beyond the meadow was the tree-lined river bank. Beyond that was another green hill.

As I pulled into our driveway, I saw beautiful, rain-drenched green in our own front yard.

As the African American hymn declares with such faith and beauty:

Jesus is a rock in a weary land,
a weary land, a weary land;
Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land,
a shelter in the time of storm.

Thank you for letting your children know that.

But as they were sailing along
He fell asleep;
and a fierce gale of wind
descended on the lake,
and they began to be swamped
and to be in danger.
They came up to Jesus and woke Him,
saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”
And He got up and rebuked the wind
and the surging waves, and they stopped,
and it became calm. And He said to them,
“Where is your faith?”
But they were fearful and amazed,
saying to one another,
“Who then is this,
that He commands even the winds and the water,
and they obey Him?”
Luke 8:23-25

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You can still sign up for our online events this afternoon and tomorrow.

Wednesday’s Event — June 8 at 2:00 p.m. Central — Teaching Elementary with Notgrass History

Our daughter Mary Evelyn McCurdy is the hostess for Wednesday’s event. She will provide an overview of our curriculum for elementary students: Our Star-Spangled Story and Our 50 States. This webinar will help you get started homeschooling and will offer tips for how to make the upcoming year fun for everyone. Here’s the link to sign up.

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Three Events on Thursday!

June 9 at 1:00 p.m. Central — Teaching Middle School with Notgrass History

I am the hostess for this event where parents can learn how to get the most from America the Beautiful, From Adam to Us, and Uncle Sam and You. Here’s the link to sign up.

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June 9 at 2:00 p.m. Central — Teaching High School with Notgrass History

My husband Ray is the host for this event where parents can learn how their high school students can earn credits in history, Bible, and English. He explains how high schoolers can have an enriching homeschool experience with Exploring World Geography, Exploring World History, Exploring America, Exploring Government, and Exploring Economics. Here’s the link to sign up.

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June 9 at 7:00 p.m. Central — Meet Up for Dads

My husband Ray is the host for a time of prayer, sharing, and encouragement for dads in homeschooling families. Dads can ask questions, share experiences, and find help for the life-changing journey they’ve chosen to take. Tell your husband about this opportunity to chat with other dads about their homeschooling experiences. Here’s a link to sign up.

 

 

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