THE HEAT

It looks so pretty out.  The gladioli are opening – pretty pink and a few white ones, and the grass is green.  There is a rabbit running from a cat and a squirrel going up the tree.  I am sure the birds are singing.  I do not hear the birds –

I do not hear the birds, because I am inside.  In the air conditioning, which is turned a degree lower than my hubby likes.  He swears my comfort zone is anything below 60.  Over that and I am too hot.  Rest assured I am not contributing to climate change.  The ac is not set at 60. 

As a kid, we never knew it was an extreme day.  We never heard of a heat index.  It was hot and life went on.  Until 1998, I could tolerate the 80 and 90 degree days.  I had surgery that year.  A simple gallbladder surgery.  Routine.  Nothing to worry about.  Except I died.  I tell people God wasn’t done with me and the devil didn’t know what to do with me, so here I am.  No, I did not see a light.  Don’t think I got that close.  That routine surgery changed my outlook on life.  It also messed with my body’s thermostat.  It lowered my comfort zone.  Since then I only like the heat if there is water involved – a pool, the beach, or on a ship. 

A changed life meant adjustments from how I had gone about my days.  If I want to work in the flower bed, I have to do it very early before the thermometer starts going up.  Thankfully the heat does not bother Bill and he mows and does 99% of the outside work.  (He also does inside work.  I am very spoiled!)  If I want to go on a girl’s day out, I try to make it spring or fall.  Summer would find me sitting on a bench while they walked around that quaint little town.  And I have done that.  Yup, one little not-so-routine-event and my life changed.

I remember another little not-so-routine-event that also changed my life. 

Yes, I knew the stories.  I had been sent to Sunday School and church for years.  Yes, I knew the Books of the Bible.  We memorized those and a few versus that everyone thinks you must know.  I knew about Jesus.  My grandma told me all about him.  She had such a great faith.  The key part of that sentence is ‘she had.’  What I knew and what I felt was what others told me I should feel.  But it was always their faith.  Their beliefs.  Until one day when it sank in and it became my faith.  Not because someone said it should be.  Not because it was my grandma’s faith.  Just because it became mine – and I changed.

Did I become instantly perfect?  Oh my goodness NO!  When the heat began to bother me, I had to learn what I could do and what would make me absolutely miserable.  It was a learning process.  Still is a learning process.  When I became a Christian – for real not because I should – it became a learning process.  Still is a learning process.

When faith becomes real.  When Jesus becomes personal.  When the Holy Spirit gives wisdom.  When God is everywhere.  Change happens!  Some changes happen quickly.  Some changes happen slowly.  But, beware – you are being warned – when you finally shout, “It is all true!  God is real!  Jesus died for ME!  The Holy Spirit lives in ME!” – you will change.  Your life will change.

Are you ready to change?  God is waiting to give you so much.  Take Him up on his gifts today!!