As the rain and the snow fall from heaven...

We're getting a bit of snow and rain today.  We were scheduled to leave on the first leg of our spring tour at 3:30 today but when we were issued a Winter Storm Warning in the early afternoon, we decided we needed to start out earlier in order to get to St. Mark, Eau Claire on time for worship.  Well, as the storm intensified, we consulted with our driver, Barney, and we realized that if we spent time in Eau Claire, the chances of being stranded in Eau Claire and having bigger problems increased significantly.  

 So we canceled our engagement with St. Mark and will head to our hotel in Madison right away so we can stay ahead of the worst of the storm. At the hotel we'll get some pizza and have our own worship using some of the service we would have been a part of in Eau Claire.

 We're disappointed that we missed our first appearance, but spirits are still high.  We have a great bunch of kids and they're so excited to share their message in song to as many as possible.

 As I write this, we just passed Wisconsin Dells and the roads are now just wet instead of snow-covered and visibility is much better.

 We make plans but we understand that God is ultimately in control and we know that this experience will be exactly what God had in mind for us.  And while many of us are a little bummed about a spring snowstorm, we know God is blessing us with it.  It brings to mind Isaiah 55:

 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands."

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