Lesson from the Wind

                 Yesterday  we  had  lots of wind here. I don't mind  a  zephyr now and and then, but this hearty wind blew hard.  It toppled over stuff on the front porch and  of course it made my allergies worse.  Windy  days  always means a headache  for me.  Of course I did what I do best on days that don't happen to go my  way, I complained.  I confess it. I am a complainer.

The Lord, however,  had  a lesson He  wanted  to teach  me. I went outside because the pup had to go  out, and  while out there, and  mumbling to the dog that the  wind was annoying, I saw that my  rain lily seed pods had opened.  We have had  a  particularly nice rainy season, and my lilies had  produced such beautiful lemon yellow blossoms.  They bloom for a about two days then they develop  seed pods.  Since our caliche soil  isn't suitable for them, I have them  in pots  both inside and outside.  I collect the seeds to give to friends  or to grow more plants in the spring. I noticed the wind had  blown  many of the seeds to ground,  but many had blown into pots that surrounded them.
I noticed many seeds on the patio  cement, and went to pick them up, because why waste them?  That's when two things hit me.  The Lord  brought to mind the parable of the sower.  Some seed scattered  on good ground, the pots were good ground the seed would  grow.  Some scattered on the caliche ground, and may sprout, but would not last, and some scattered on the ground that wouldn't grow.  The sower spreads  the word and the Lord produces the lasting crop.  That reminder caused me to  think, how can I even spread the seed of  God's Word when I'm complaining?  Who would listen?

The second thing that struck me was the wind had  a useful purpose.  It caused the pods to open so the seed  could be dispersed. The wind, though harsh God used to teach  a lesson.  The harsh winds of  life come to us all. We all have trials, and we all have sufferings at  various times  in life. Paul told  Timothy to "...endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."  These winds of adversity draw us closer to the Lord.  They  remind us that our time in this inn will  have its  end, and the joy of heaven  awaits.  Complaining, I write about that a lot, because it's a battle that must be won.  Whatever battle you fight,  Jesus  will help you.  He'll even use a little wind and lily seeds to teach the lesson.