Wornoutwoman

It's May in Oklahoma. Anyone that lives in Tornado Alley knows what this means. This mixture of cool and warm temperatures leaves the area with high probability that severe weather will break out.  We even have a national storm center here, in Oklahoma, with one of the top meteorology schools in Norman.   Why do storm chasers flock here?  Because the below picture is a common theme for Spring in Oklahoma.  This multi-vortex wedge tornado was just forming when I took a quick photo of the news, but it went on to cause some major damage last night. As Oklahomans, we get asked how can we stand living here?  We must be crazy!  Well, there is extreme weather everywhere.  Name a region that doesn't get tornados, earthquakes, flash flooding, tropical storms, or ice storms.  Oklahoma just happens to get all of them.  Last night, the storms were staying south of us, traveling east.  (See that little circle up there? That's...

Today's verse - Proverbs 16:9  'In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.' Amen! If I hadn't grasped this by now - I would be a wreck.  There's only so much we can plan, prepare, or control. Without asking God for direction, it can get pretty dicey.  This past week I prayed, 'Lord, show me your will. Prepare me.'  And not ten minutes later, something changed drastically in my life. This 'thing' that changed could have been devastating in normal circumstances - but a peace washed over me. It was a direct answer to prayer. Instead of getting upset - I embraced the change, anxious to see what he was preparing.  I can't control my life. I can't prepare for every outcome. I can only give God each day and look to Him for direction, as I go about it.  It's okay to have a plan - but look to Him for your purpose!!

Growing up, we never participated in Lent ... as we were Protestants.  However, I went to a Catholic private school for a few years as a kid.  So I was familiar with the different traditions, like Ash Wednesday or Lent. Over the last decade or so, Lent is been more mainstream through other churches, other than just Catholic. My sister has always participated, and within the last five to seven years my mother followed suit.  I never felt it necessary.  After all ... I tried to live the right kind of life year-round ... right? Well, I've said this before and I'll repeat it here. When it seems like your faith is exactly where you think it should be - when you think you're at your peak in your walk ... watch out.  Because God is so big, and His ways are so great - that you can never stop learning.  And when you feel you're doing just fine in your walk ... you're probably coasting. God has so much more for you. So over the last few years, I've contempla...