The Heavens Declare

I was going to write a comment on Monica Yellow's blog. But it would've taken too much room. So I'm posting it here. This is an exception to the rule and I promise a return to stories about poop and pee soon. I don't think there's anyone here to actually object to this. I don't think there's anyone here...

In my younger days, ("you remind me of the young me, short and stupid") I was afraid of natural disasters. Hurricanes and typhoons especially, because that's what we saw the most. One day, in the spring of eighth or ninth grade, I was walking down the driveway to fetch some mail on a Saturday, and once I stepped out, I could feel the winds just pounding and pounding at whatever that came in their way. I could feel the wind pulling on my legs, trying to knock me down. I ran to the mailbox, fearing the wind would overtake me if I moved to slowly. As I opened the box, I remembered thinking (in the melodramatic, fatalistic way I often did), "The wrath of God is upon us; the anger of the Lord is here." I don't know why I did. Maybe it's 'cause the phrases had a nice ring to it. But those lines ran through my head over and over that day, even after I went inside the house, where, from the safety of my room, I could survey the full majesty of the winds- the way ancient trees were waving their arms in surrender, the way leaves long dead were stirred up to fly again, the way the windows shook and sounded in alarm. The wrath of God is upon us; the anger of the Lord is here. I was in frightful awe all night. The next day was Sunday, and as we drove to church, I kept staring out the window at the rain, the dark, swirling sky, and the blown branches scattered across windy roads, not knowing what to make of this force except tremble. Then came Sunday service, and a song that never held meaning for me before, one I never understood or liked. "Lord, I have heard of your fame. I stand in awe of your deeds, Oh Lord-" as the praise band played, still those first words meant nothing, until the chorus- "In wrath, remember mercy. In wrath, remember mercy."

Then it clicked. And it was beautiful to feel the rush of the click. Yes, my God is a destructive one but by God, he's a merciful one. He is the God of peace that calms the storms. I looked out the window at that instant, expecting to catch another glimpse of His wrath, but saw a stilled outdoors- and sun.

Now that I've scared everyone away... in wrath, remember mercy.