Snow, Sports and Success!

So today is March 25 and here in Indiana we have somewhere between 7 and 8 inches of snow on the ground.  This is very unusual for us to have such a significant spring snow storm.  Last year at this time we were complaining because it was in the 80's by mid-March.   That's the thing about Indiana, we are always complaining about the weather and it is always changing. 

It's amazing that with this storm the forecasters were right on.  They predicted almost to the minute when the storm would begin, when the snow would be at its worst and when it would start to taper off.  The early prediction gave all of us a chance to hit the stores and stock up in case we were snowed in.  Technology is really accurate in developing computer "models" that will let us know the path of a storm and what to expect.  The forecasters are not wrong very often and I appreciate having information to plan my time. 

This was one of my husband's favorite weekends.  There was NCAA hockey and basketball on television.  As I did some cleaning and rearranging of my craft room my husband was glued to the television.  The funny thing was that he would occasionally call out to me with updates.  Like I really care?  My hockey team (Miami University) imploded in the CCHA tournament and I really do not like basketball at all.  There was no joy for the Butler Basketball fans as their team was out of the NCAA tournament early.  There was joy for the Indiana University fans as their team made it to the Sweet 16. 

The big news for my week was that I successfully completed the oral defense of my comprehensive exams for my doctorate.  It was pretty daunting facing my committee and answering questions posed by them on my responses to the questions.  In the end they all signed off and I am cleared to present my dissertation proposal in the next few weeks.  This has been a five year journey and the end is in sight.  Sometimes I wonder why I continue to persevere but this is a goal I will achieve.  

So moving on, this snow storm will be finished and the snow will melt.  We will be celebrating Easter this weekend and hopefully spring will be close behind.  After a short break I get back to work on my studies.  College basketball will be done and we will move on to other sports.  Happy Spring! 

Answered Prayer

Several months ago the pastor at the church I attend asked us to write down some prayers and miracles we wanted answered.  He said if we would write down our prayers we would find that they would be answered by God.  So I took him up on the challenge and wrote four prayers on post-it notes and put them on the mirror in my bathroom.  My prayers included things that were on my mind at that time.

• A mature relationship with the right woman for my grown son
• The end to my mother's suffering with advanced Alzheimer's
• Employment for my husband
• A financial windfall that would ease our money worries.  

I included all these things in my daily prayers, along with many other prayer items.  Usually I take the 40 minute drive to work every morning and use that time to talk to God about many things that are on my mind.  I also use that time to pray for a safe arrival at work through rush hour traffic. 

So I was looking at my prayer list recently and realized that all of these had been answered.  The answers may not have been what I anticipated but every one of my prayers had a resolution.  So I was wondering, have I found the answer to all my problems.  Just write them down on a piece of paper and turn them over to God?

As a human I find that difficult to do.  I want to use my time worrying and wondering when the answers to my prayers or expected miracles will happen.  Yet I wrote these "requests" down and just kept them in my thoughts and daily prayers and they were answered.

I believe the trick to this is that I did write down my prayers.  In the moving targets of our lives we often find that the prayers of one day are replaced by the problems and issues of the next day, and every day after that.  In writing down my concerns at that time I was able to track them and know that they were answered at some point in the future. 

So I have started to write down prayers and requests in the memo pad in my cell phone.  Now I can add things as they occur and mark off things that are answered.  That allows me to keep a list of prayers and miracles that occur in my life on a daily basis.  Sometimes in my hour of greatest need it is comforting to look at my list and see that God is with me always and does hear when I ask for intercession or a miracle.  It helps me to see that I am not alone in this journey through life. 

Just to cover all my bases I also have written four more prayer requests on post-it notes and put them on the mirror in my bathroom.  I will let you know how those progress.  They are different requests reflecting where my life is now. 

Lion or Lamb?

Today is March 1.  I can remember as a child my teachers would always put up a bulletin board for March about it coming in as a lion and going out as a lamb.  I wonder if elementary school teachers do that now? 

Here in Indiana March did come in as a lion.  We have grey skies, snow and cold temperatures.  So hopefully as the month progresses we will have milder temperatures and start to see the beginning of Spring. 

I love the change of the seasons.  The beginning of March marks the end of winter and we know that Spring is only a few weeks away.  When winter is approaching I love the idea of cold nights and evenings by the fire.  But by the end of February I am ready for the soft rain of spring and the start of flowers and my garden.  It seems that in my life I am always looking forward to what is coming.  Does that mean I am not enjoying the moment as I should?  I hope I am not wishing away my time but rather enjoying the moment as well as anticipating the changes on the horizon. 

Last week we were in Nashville Tennessee and there the spring flowers were up and pansies had been planted.  It made me all the more wishful for the change of seasons to happen soon.  

So I hope your March is starting well and you will welcome the change of the seasons this month (and the beginning of Daylight Savings Time!).