Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a fan of the long, hot, hot, hot days of summer in SE Florida. Did I mention I don’t like the heat? When I graduated from Seminary in 2008, as a single woman with no ties to a specific place, I literally could have gone anywhere God wanted to send me to serve. And God, in his infinite wisdom and with his quirky sense of humor, called me to serve with you at FCC down here in sunny Florida!

I grew up down here (in Lake Park), so I knew what I was getting myself into weather-wise. In 1975 I went “up north” to college in Alabama and, believe it or not, I had to buy a coat for the first time in my life. It was heaven! Then, as you know, I lived in Madrid, Spain, for 21 years where there is also a winter, spring and fall so I got to enjoy cool weather and even though the summers are hot, they are dry (not muggy!) so they are easier to tolerate. I moved back to Florida in 2001, then got to spend 3 glorious years in Kentucky while in Seminary, and now I’m back to square one – Florida! It seems that I am destined to be here.

In the 60’s and 70’s while I was growing up here, we did not have a/c in our homes or at school! We sat, and slept and studied and played and stewed in that heat for most of the year. I am surprised some of us did not melt! However, I do not remember being hot. I did not know any different. It was just normal weather to me. When I was 7 or so and my sister Ann was 5, it snowed in Lake Park for a brief moment. Of course, the flakes melted before they hit the ground, but after watching them fall for a few minutes my sister ran into the house to report that there was Styrofoam falling from the sky. She had never seen snow before. Sunny and hot and humid was all we knew.

So, I ask myself why does the heat bother me so much now? Granted I am in the age of menopause and have been known to have my own personal summers upon occasion. But sometimes just the thought of having to go outside during the day to do anything is overwhelming. And then come the days in winter when we are literally living in Paradise! And somehow, the heat that we have suffered was worth it because then we get the glorious weather we have in winter.

In thinking about this, it occurred to me that life is sort of like the weather. There are long, hot, dry periods where problems and troubles may come, and then there are the light, cool and breezy days when all seems well. No place on earth is perfect and no life on earth is perfect either. The only perfect thing about my life is that God is in it. And no matter where I go to live or work or play, God will be there and I believe he also has a purpose for my being in that exact place at that exact moment whether it’s hot or cold, rainy or dry. God will be there and just knowing this is what makes sense out of my life, where I live, who I am and where I work. I am not going to die of the heat in Florida. I would, however, die without God in my life. As Lorraine would say, “I am blessed!”
Your sister in Christ, Cindy