Weather Face

         

Perhaps you are like me.  I turn on the weather station each morning while getting ready for work to know what the day holds. Then I can better prepare to dress for chilly temperatures, or a warm sunny day.   

Perhaps the forecast predicts it will be overcast, or rain showers will move in during the afternoon. Perhaps you have experienced one of those days that suddenly turned blustery, or unexpected sleet and ice began to fall from the skies. I’ve listened to weather that warned me to pay attention in case of a tornado or hurricane warning that could be posted throughout the day depending on atmospheres or colliding fronts. In fishing communities, those who earn their living on the high seas check to see if there are high wind warnings posted.  These are just some of the weather situations we can experience day today. What do you do to prepare for the weather in your daily routine? 

The question made me ask myself if I was as equally concerned about preparing my face in my daily routine for the weather life or storms of the day?  What was my weather face?  What was my face was reflecting to others on a daily basis; to children, my spouse or co-workers, that particular someone who cuts me off in traffic, or those who are serving me in the retail or restaurant establishments?

 

Although I do not have small children at home now, I am privileged to be around many moms who do an excellent job of wearing a sunny disposition weather face as they encourage, guide, and nurture their children; regardless of the spilt milk, the messy food tray or the gift from a budding artist’s picture on a newly painted wall.  However, it is also fair to ask the question; is there always a storm brewing on your face as you address the challenges of many teachable moments each day to your children?  Does the lack of sleep create a monster storm that shows up on your face with anger and impatience? Or, is your weather face reflecting sunshine and warm breezes that children are one of the greatest joys in life regardless of the gales we moms also endure? 

 

I have a weather face that I carry to work each day. My face is exposed to many people in the community, at church, school or college. I love to visit new restaurants, and I also do my fair share to keep retail stores in business.  But, there are those visits to these establishments where things do not always go as smoothly as one would hope; the food is delivered cold or not cooked properly; my drink needs to be refilled but is ignored.   Perhaps I have tried on dozens of different shoe styles at the mall and have rejected them all.  I finally find the perfect pair of shoes, only to have the sales person report they do not have it in my size!  Hmmm, does my face reflect the blustery clouds of frustration and dissatisfaction or exude the chilly expression of disappointment as I leave in a huff?  Perhaps that sales person needed my weather face to share a moment of warmth as they dealt with losing sales commission that impacted their paycheck.  Checking the conditions, my weather face could restore hope that their day will be one of joy. That one person could experience fair weather actions of kindness, compassion and care for their well-being, all because of a person who intentionally prepared their face for the conditions of the day.

Does our face identify us as a stormy weather person?  I am guilty!  I have caught myself with those harsh frown lines and scowl on my face in my rear view mirror after another driver cuts me off in traffic. Anyone could tell a storm was brewing by the look on my face.

There are days when I am a tornado weather person!  Those days include the need to be focused on a task, but I find myself too overwhelmed by the long, unending “to do” list?  Those are the days my weather face looks strained.  I have pinched lips and appear frazzled. There is persistent pained I dare you - “do not ask me to do one more thing” darkness in my eyes. My tornado weather face reflects that I am too busy!  As a result, I might be pushing people away as a result of the stresses and strains in my personal life that day.  What good can I do if my words are negative to match my foul weather face?

          This morning I looked out my window and saw that is was misting and the temperature was registering about 40 degrees.  I felt myself shiver a little bit with dread as I thought about leaving my warm home to go outside to travel to work in the rain and cold.  Because I was thinking about this topic of my weather face, I considered the fact that I could wear that same dread on my face promoting negativity, gloom and doom, and dread by my face and/or my words.  It provided pause to consider whether the housework, or being a wife, or co-worker, has become a “woe is me” day to day drudgery. Do those responsibilities just depress you or me?  Do other people around us just dread and shiver when we bring our cold weather face self around? Or do express and release God’s joyous plan in the duties we can find as a wife and mother; even when we must let go of our personal plans.  Instead, because of allowing God’s Holy Spirit to guide us, we can chose to turn those foul weather face days into those sunny weather face days as we serve family, our husband and children, or our co-workers. 

My best fair weather face days are the ones I prepare for on a daily basis through morning prayer, reading the Word and spending time in meditation. I am then able to dress appropriately with the armor of God and put on a sunny face and disposition.  In checking the spiritual weather patterns of life, we can receive the peace that surpasses all understanding through Jesus Christ. I hope you catch my weather face reflecting an infilling - tilted toward heaven taking in the “son” while admiring the few wispy clouds; enjoying slight refreshing breezes of the Holy Spirit and the “just right” temperatures of His eternal presence!  What will your weather face be today?