Riding out the storm

Last night I woke to the sound of thunder.

Yeah, if that sounds like a line from an old song, it is. But it's also an apt description of me this morning.

I listened to the approaching storm and thought about life. Funny, isn't it, how storms come and go in our lives? Any navigator will tell you that, at some point, the waves will get rocky. It just happens.

I think for a long time I let the figurative approaching sound of thunder strike fear in my heart. I like it when things are going well. I don't like it so much when things are crazy.

But, you see, the test comes in how we deal with life's storms. We can duck for cover, ignoring the problem by putting our head in the sand with the ostrich. We can run foolishly on. Or we can hunker down, prepare for it, and ride it out -- always looking ahead, always ready for the next challenge, always prepared to take action if needed.

I'm a big believer in communication. Obviously, I make my living through words, but it's more than that. I think the success of any relationship depends upon communication. There isn't any problem that can't be worked out as long as you talk about it.

The key to surviving the storm is so simple. Just open your mouth.

And it doesn't hurt to remember that when waves roll over your head, they're under His feet.