Not A Sky In The Clouds!

What a BEAUTIFUL day--not a sky in the cloud!!

Growing up, I admit it, I was quite afraid of lightning and thunder.  My husband, on the other hand, grew up on a farm where he and his brothers loved watching a storm roll in.  Over time he helped me start to appreciate the wonder and majesty of lightning and thunder.

As our kids came along, I realized I didn't want them to be afraid so I needed to at least pretend that I loved it just like dad did.  When they got a little older it became quite a celebration when a storm would hit. Especially in the evening when we were all home.  Everyone would drop what they were doing and gather where we could see it best. I'd throw a bag of microwave popcorn in to pop and we would snuggle up and watch in amazement and awe at the power and beauty of nature.  

Rather than fearing a storm, I came to look forward to them.  It brought us together.  It made us stop and appreciate.  It taught us respect. It gave us memories. 

Since those days, we have all come to love cloudy rainy days.  The saying, "What a great day--not a sky in the cloud!" became kind of a family motto.  Today my kids are grown and most have kids of their own. But it's not unusual to receive a group text announcing, "Thunder!!" , followed by responses of "Send it this way!"

I'm grateful my husband helped me change my attitude from fear to appreciation. A lot of things in life can seem scary on the outside but when we look a little deeper into it, and experience it, we just might come to understand that ultimately there may be a real treasure hidden inside.

Until the next good storm,
Janean