At the risk of talking about the weather ALL winter, here I am talking about the weather…again. Wow, did we have some in mid-February. From the national weather reports, I’m guessing many of you did, as well.
The second week of February, we were on weather-watch as my parents were scheduled to fly to California for a family funeral. For Mom and Dad, who are in their mid-eighties, the general stress of flying is bad enough without weather delays. Fortunately, their scheduled flight made it out just in time to avoid the cancellations from winter storm #1.
A few days later, we were on weather-watch again, as Mom and Dad were scheduled to make their return flight the day winter storm #2 would arrive. We called them to say, “Do not come home. It’s absolutely freezing—record sub-zero temps for Oklahoma. And your flight is likely to be cancelled due to ice on the ground.” They heeded our advice and extended their stay by a few days.
When we picked them up at the airport, I had a blanket ready for Mom, as it was still freezing. There was a mound of ice on their driveway to welcome them home. That was three days ago. This afternoon, I went for a glorious walk in the sunshine. The high was 74 degrees!
I saw a post on social media that said, “Look at the weather being all cute today, when exactly one week ago she tried to kill us!” If you live up north, this must sound overly dramatic, but we are not set up for this in Oklahoma. (Ask the semi-truck drivers who wrecked their rigs on the solid sheet of ice on the interstate highways across our state.)
Thankfully, the weather turns on a dime where the winds come sweeping down the plains1. Today, it feels like Spring is on its way.
And now, on to The Fast 5!
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The Fast 5 🕔
The Comparison Game — 📖 “When you thrive in your sweet spot, you will live out your calling without stifling your gifts and strengths in an attempt to please people over God.” I recently discovered Beth Walker on Substack, and love this recent post!
Things Will Be Different —✍🏼If you are curious about what it’s like to write faith-based content, this article from Brandon Moore describes it so accurately (at least from my perspective). It’s an endeavor that requires consistent re-assessing, re-grouping, and keeping your eyes on Jesus. End of story.
FAVORITE BOOK — 📖 Sparkling Gems from the Greek, Volume I by Rick Renner. This beautiful devotional contains 365 Greek word studies for an entire year. If you like a rich and meaty devotional lesson, this may serve you well. This book has so impacted my daily study, that I just ordered Volume II of Sparkling Gems.
FAV RECIPE — 🍲 On Super Bowl Weekend, I wanted to make sausage balls but did not have Bisquick in the pantry, and didn’t want to go to the store. Found this recipe for How to Make Sausage Balls Without Bisquick, and we loved how it turned out. (By the way, the recipe calls for self-rising flour. I only had all-purpose, but you can find instructions online for how to turn all-purpose into self-rising. Just Google it!) Going forward, I’ll being making sausage balls without Bisquick, as it’s a little bit better for us, anyway.
MUSIC I LOVE — ♭ ♯ Need a worship session, today? I’ve been listening to Garett & Kate for a few months, and love their authentic, peaceful worship.
Currently Reading 📚
The Bible Study Handbook—by Lindsay Olesberg. I shared this last month, and I am loving it so much. I did start another new book, but want to hold off sharing it until I get a little deeper in and feel good about recommending it. So, for now, be sure to check out The Bible Study Handbook.
Quotable 💭
And yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
—Apostle Paul in Acts 27.22
The story of Paul’s shipwreck is one of my favorite Scripture passages. May we, like Paul, not only keep up our courage for whatever we may be facing, but encourage others in this, as well.
Additional Links 🔗
Our Heavenly Father Gives Comfort in the Valleys — Focusing on Psalm 23.4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…”, writer Rosann Coulon reminds us that we experience death and darkness in different ways. This beloved Scripture passage is one we can “cling to in every dark experience we endure in this life”.
Sin and Repentance — Several times a week, Susanna Peters publishes short devotional writings in her Substack publication “Spiritual Fitness”. If you like a quick read to encourage your week, check her out and subscribe!
Find a Morning Rhythm You Can Hold On To — If you need a little help with your morning routine (is it okay for me to admit I’ve been struggling myself?), Emily P. Freeman shares some good tips in this post. This “simple morning rhythm could take as little as 15 minutes or as long as an hour”.
“When the wind comes sweeping down the plains…” are lyrics from the theme song of the Broadway musical Oklahoma! Yes, the words are about my home state and totally describe our weather.
