With the exception of the weather yesterday, which got too hot and uncomfortable for my tastes, the weather has been great here in Chicago lately. Not too chilly to prevent one from going outdoors wearing little more than a pair of pants and a short sleeved shirt. Not so hot that one can't lie down in bed at night (in a room with no air conditioning) without waking up with a sweaty neck and a drenched pillow. Weather.com says that it's currently 66 degrees Fahrenheit, with a humidity of 60% and a "dew point" of 52 degrees Fahrenheit. It says that the 66 degrees actually feels like 66 degrees. Like I said, my kind of weather.
Does God know what weather makes people the most comfortable, and what weather makes people the most uncomfortable? Of course he does. He's omniscient, which means that he knows everything. So why isn't the weather here on earth perfectly tailored for us all of the time? I think that the answer has something to do with the Fall, which not only tainted the hearts of men and women, but also had a negative impact on all aspects of God's creation.
I suspect that the weather in heaven will be perfect all the time. Nevertheless, just in case God needs a hint or two in order to properly prepare things for us, I like to drop a request in the divine suggestion box now and then. I'll say things (under my breath, of course) like, "Lord, this weather is really, really nice today. I hope you'll remember that this is the kind of weather that I like, when I get to heaven."
Of course, there are those who can anticipate weather, in the afterlife, which will make the hottest weather we've ever experienced seem refreshing in comparison.
I would like to think that I'll never have to experience the fiery torments of hell, but I know in all honesty that if I do get a heavenly reward, it will be on account of God's mercy, not on account of my own good works.
UPDATE: The really amazing part about this blog post is that the weather recorded in the blog post wasn't just a fluke. It's now August 18, 2008 as I type this update, and the weather outside is marvelous! In fact, it's been marvelous almost every day this summer, in terms of the temperature. There have been a few thunderstorms, but otherwise, it's been extremely comfortable.
But ignore what your senses tell you, ignore the readings of the thermometer, and pay attention to the "global warming" doomsayers instead. In case you can't tell, that last sentence was meant to be extremely sarcastic.
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Thunderstorm
The other day, I awakened to the sound of a serious thunderstorm outside of my window. For some reason, I felt a poetic urge, so I wrote the following poem, which I naturally entitled "The Thunderstorm".
---------------------------------------------------------
THE THUNDERSTORM
© Mark W. Pettigrew
Like a mighty bomb, the thunder
wakes me with ferocity.
Rain and wind fill me with wonder
at their great velocity.
Darkened skies and flashing lightning
greet my eyes at every turn.
Thinking about calmer weather
makes me long for its return.
Soon the storm's tempestuous fury
starts to lose its awful power.
Rain refreshes field and mountain
bringing life to tree and flower.
Air is cleansed of dust and pollen.
Breathing it, I feel renewed.
As the storm becomes a memory,
time improves my attitude.
For the just and for the unjust,
skies will sometimes fill with rain.
But it's only temporary.
Soon the sun will shine again.
---------------------------------------------------------
The last four lines obviously represent my attempt to bring philosophical and spiritual insight to what is otherwise a description of a purely physical event. It's particularly applicable to my life at this time, because I'm going through some serious storms in my life.
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NOTE: To download additional Christ-centered poems I've written (stored online in the form of PDF files which can be downloaded from a public SkyDrive folder), visit this link, then select the poem in which you have an interest, and then click the Download button.
---------------------------------------------------------
THE THUNDERSTORM
© Mark W. Pettigrew
Like a mighty bomb, the thunder
wakes me with ferocity.
Rain and wind fill me with wonder
at their great velocity.
Darkened skies and flashing lightning
greet my eyes at every turn.
Thinking about calmer weather
makes me long for its return.
Soon the storm's tempestuous fury
starts to lose its awful power.
Rain refreshes field and mountain
bringing life to tree and flower.
Air is cleansed of dust and pollen.
Breathing it, I feel renewed.
As the storm becomes a memory,
time improves my attitude.
For the just and for the unjust,
skies will sometimes fill with rain.
But it's only temporary.
Soon the sun will shine again.
---------------------------------------------------------
The last four lines obviously represent my attempt to bring philosophical and spiritual insight to what is otherwise a description of a purely physical event. It's particularly applicable to my life at this time, because I'm going through some serious storms in my life.
*************************************************************************
NOTE: To download additional Christ-centered poems I've written (stored online in the form of PDF files which can be downloaded from a public SkyDrive folder), visit this link, then select the poem in which you have an interest, and then click the Download button.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
7/11/2007 Status Report
I am still feeling greatly disappointed and hurt by two separate incidents which occurred last week.
In one incident, my mother reneged on an offer she'd made to me on two separate occasions. That kind of thing is typical of her. She forfeits credibility, to my way of thinking, when she does such things.
In another incident which occurred on that same day, I learned that the church I'd been attending had such an extreme view with regard to the subject of "submission to authority" that I could no longer attend that church in good conscience. It had begun to feel more like a cult than a church.
As a result, I am now estranged both from my mother and from that church.
Yet, things could be worse. The weather could not be better here in Chicago today. The skies are fairly clear. It's neither too cold nor too hot. Humidity is only 51%, according to Weather.com. This comfortable weather is a blessing, since I have no air conditioning in my apartment.
In my imagination, I imagine that the weather in heaven will be similar to what the weather here is like today. Of course, the air there will be much cleaner.
After going over to the Starbucks on North Avenue in order to apply for a job, I walked over to the Chicago History Museum (run by the Chicago Historical Society), where I browsed a bit in their gift shop and bookstore. Then I walked out back behind the building and sat on a park bench, enjoying the sight and the scent of the beautiful garden planted directly in front of a tall statue of Abraham Lincoln. It was a fantastic setting in which to pray, so that was what I did.
In about a week, I will turn 51 years old. There have been times during the past few years when I didn't think I'd make it this long. There have been times when I wanted very much to die. Yet, here I am nevertheless.
Satan tries to plant seeds of negative thought in my mind, telling me that I'm a loser who is bound to fail. But I am trying to fight those thoughts by countering them with positive affirmations of God's love for me. Jesus said that one ought not to take thought for tomorrow. I don't think that he meant that one ought not to plan. I think he meant that one ought not to worry. That's much easier said than done, for me at any rate. But I am doing my best.
With the grace and love of God, I will prevail.
In one incident, my mother reneged on an offer she'd made to me on two separate occasions. That kind of thing is typical of her. She forfeits credibility, to my way of thinking, when she does such things.
In another incident which occurred on that same day, I learned that the church I'd been attending had such an extreme view with regard to the subject of "submission to authority" that I could no longer attend that church in good conscience. It had begun to feel more like a cult than a church.
As a result, I am now estranged both from my mother and from that church.
Yet, things could be worse. The weather could not be better here in Chicago today. The skies are fairly clear. It's neither too cold nor too hot. Humidity is only 51%, according to Weather.com. This comfortable weather is a blessing, since I have no air conditioning in my apartment.
In my imagination, I imagine that the weather in heaven will be similar to what the weather here is like today. Of course, the air there will be much cleaner.
After going over to the Starbucks on North Avenue in order to apply for a job, I walked over to the Chicago History Museum (run by the Chicago Historical Society), where I browsed a bit in their gift shop and bookstore. Then I walked out back behind the building and sat on a park bench, enjoying the sight and the scent of the beautiful garden planted directly in front of a tall statue of Abraham Lincoln. It was a fantastic setting in which to pray, so that was what I did.
In about a week, I will turn 51 years old. There have been times during the past few years when I didn't think I'd make it this long. There have been times when I wanted very much to die. Yet, here I am nevertheless.
Satan tries to plant seeds of negative thought in my mind, telling me that I'm a loser who is bound to fail. But I am trying to fight those thoughts by countering them with positive affirmations of God's love for me. Jesus said that one ought not to take thought for tomorrow. I don't think that he meant that one ought not to plan. I think he meant that one ought not to worry. That's much easier said than done, for me at any rate. But I am doing my best.
With the grace and love of God, I will prevail.
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