Focused on {Powerful} Glory

He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 

~Psalm 107: 29

When I first had the thought for what has become  focused on Glory, I had a vision...a photo a day, capturing a bit of God's glory through my camera lens. As the idea grew, it expanded to include my friend Tauna and her blog, Creative Confetti, and it was scaled back a bit to once a week rather than daily photos.   That vision is still the same, but sometimes the fleshing out of the vision (on my end) isn't exactly what I'd planned.  There are weeks my post is a day or two late, and there have been a couple of weeks I haven't managed a post at all. Life gets in the way sometimes. :)  And my posts, for the most part, have not been exactly what I'd envisioned.  Health issues, weather, busy schedules, a new schedule (and Mom's determination to stick to it!), old house issues, and just generally trying to keep a household of six running {somewhat} smoothly...all of these seem to often keep me from quality time with my camera. :)   

Sometimes, too, I worry that my posts have a bit too much "sameness" to them. For instance, today's post will be the third post in a row to feature...yes, you guessed it...my back yard. :)  Last week's focused on Glory  post was photos of Ammah Grace on the newly re-hung tire swing.  Then there was a random Backyard Glimpses post later in the week.  When I start to worry about posting too much of the "same old", I think about this post, which SO resonated with me when I read it a while back: In the Pink. Like the author of that post, I want to be continually in awe of God's creation...even that which I see every day.  

But I also don't want to get into a rut. :)  This week I was so excited!   On Saturday I took some very different photos, and I had some interesting text to go along with them.  I could hardly *wait* to compose today's post!  Then this morning, I woke up and discovered that today is "World Sparrow Day".  Well, anyone who reads this blog knows that I love sparrows. :)  I decided I really needed to devote today's post to sparrow photos and stories, and I'd save my original plan for another day.  

I had that post mostly composed in my head and was in the process of selecting photos for it earlier today, when a chat conversation with a friend completely changed my direction.  "There is a foG post for you..."  I grabbed my camera and went out to take a few new backyard photos. :)  

These aren't just ANY backyard photos, though!  For those who don't live in our neck of the woods, we've been hearing nasty, awful, horrid weather predictions for this week for over a week.  Predictions of a foot or more of rain within 24-48 hours, flood warnings, forecasts with "100% chance of rain" for Monday and Tuesday, and talk of a severe storm or two or more as well.  ACKKK.  Anyone who knows me knows I am not a fan of rainy, stormy weather. Living in an old house with a cantankerous roof has cured me of the "rain is beautiful" school of thought. I don't want us to have a drought, but I'll take just enough rain to get us by, thankyouverymuch.  Please don't give me one. drop. more.  And a foot in two days?  NO, THANKS.

To make matters worse, this is spring break week.  Our student ministry left Monday morning for a mission trip at our mission church in a nearby town, also covered by the "It's going to rain until it washes all of us away" forecast.  The plans included a lot of outdoor work.  They did not include severe storms, torrential rains, and flooded roadways.

Yesterday before they left, Bro. Kent prayed for the trip.  Part of his prayer included prayer that the weather would not interfere with the work God had for the group this week.  At that point the forecast pretty much guaranteed rain the whole time they were gone.  The rain had already begun, and we were dodging puddles while getting their luggage unloaded.  

Just about the time they left for Lavaca, though, the sun began to peek through the dark gray clouds.  The sky continued to get brighter and brighter...while it never made it to "sunny", there was a definite golden glow in the midst of the overcast sky.  I so wish I'd gotten a picture of it!  

Before it seemed like they'd had time to get out there, unload, and eat lunch, Bro. Gary had posted a picture...kids clearing out brush and preparing to burn.  The rain held off all day, and they completed the outdoor work planned for the day.  

We did get rain...quite a bit of rain, although not anywhere near the flood conditions that had been predicted...in the night and into the morning.  That rain was supposed to continue all day...4 to 6 inches worth.  

And then mid-morning, I checked the radar for the umpteenth time today, and noticed something very odd.  There was a gap beginning in the formerly non-stop green, yellow, and red.  It appeared that the rain was going around us in both directions, but there was a finger-like area developing with no rain whatsoever. 

At 10:45, a local weatherman posted a photo of the radar, with this statement..."Check out this hole developing in the rain! This is great to see. It's reducing rain totals and holding back the flood potential. Hope it sticks around!" 

It was at that point that my friend and I had our discussion about the amazing answer to prayer that the unexpected break in the weather was, and that I grabbed my camera to shoot a few photos of our backyard.  While I was doing that, my friend had an opportunity to share on the weatherman's Facebook post that there had been many prayers for the predicted storms to hold off.   Her comments there, and to me during our chat, were such an encouraging reminder to me of the power of our God, who is able to quite literally calm the storm.  It was a much-needed reminder this morning, as we've been dealing with a new health-related  "storm of life" in our family that has come to a head this week.   What a wonderful visual of God's power, glory, and faithfulness!   I'm so thankful for our Powerful God, and for friends who remind me of His power, goodness, and faithfulness just when I need to be reminded most.

Our yard is usually COVERED in water in any sort of heavy rain.  This is what it looked like today during the  time that we were supposed to have 100% chance of rain and possibility of severe storms.

Remains of the earlier rain on the trees...

And more leftover raindrops.

The sky was gray, but not at all stormy. 

Radar showing the "gap".  This storm was going almost directly north.

The robins were loving the damp ground...

Love to watch them cock their heads to listen for worms!

Got it! :)

Check back this week for the belated "World Sparrow Day" post, as well as the post originally planned for today's focused on Glory.  I'm hoping to start a new book series this week as well.  In the meantime, be sure to go to Tauna's blog and check out her foG post.  I'm trying not to be jealous this week...she got to go to a place I've been wanting to see for a long time!  Her photos are almost as good as going myself, though. :)