Sleeping When The Winds Blow

1996, Tom and Jeanette Berry

The story is told of a farmer named Lester Robins who have more than he could handle by himself.  He had tried running his farm alone, but it was too much.  He needed a farm hand badly.  One day a young man applied for work.  Lester questioned him about his experience and satisfied himself that the young man could do the job and hired him on the spot.  As the young man headed out for the first of his chores he commented over his shoulder, "I can sleep when the winds blow."

Lester puzzled over that strange remark for a moment and then passed it off as not really being anything important.  During the months that followed the young man did everything to Lester's satisfaction.

Then one night at about 2:00 a.m. one of those mid-western windstorms came roaring across the plains.  Lester awoke with a start and jumped out of bed to tie down everything that was loose.  The checked the barn.  The doors were secures; the shutters were closed and the animals were tied in their stalls.  He quickly checked the well house, the potato house, the vehicles, the equipment...everything, and all was secure.

As Lester began walking back to his house mulling over what he had just experienced on that stormy night he decided to stick his head in the bunkhouse.  He saw his young farm hand sound asleep.  Suddenly, that comment by the young man was understood by Lester.  "Yes," Lester smiled, "he can sleep when the winds blow because he's already done all that has to be done."

Jesus told about a day when the storms of judgment will blow and try the foundation of our soul's preparation for eternity.  Those who have built on sand will be destroyed, but those who have built on solid rock will stand (Matthew 7:24-27).  The one solid foundation is Jesus Christ (1st Corinthians 3:11).  We build upon that foundation by receiving Jesus Christ by faith as our personal Savior.

As we go through life we experience many storms:
     Storms that threaten our marriage relationship.
     Storms that threaten our children.
     Storms that threaten us financially and materially
     Storms that threaten us with temptation
     Storms that threaten our church.
The Word of God tells us what we need to do to be prepared for any storm.  The question is, "Have we learned what we need to do and have we done all we need to do?"  It is only then that we can sleep when the winds blow.

Jeanette Berry, 1996

The winter of 1995-1996 has been one of the most difficult I can remember.  The weather turned cold early, brought us the Blizzard of '96, and then hung on for what has seemed eternity.

Not only was the weather bitter, but it seemed as if our lives matched the trying season.  Our daughter-in-law, Sandy, was pregnant with twins.  She does not have easy pregnancies at best.  Carry twins compounded the problem. (Excuse the pun).  In and out of the hospital; trying to arrange care for their 4 and 5 year olds was almost overwhelming at times.  Our son, Richard, was like a zombie.

At the same time, Tom and I were going through some terrific struggles of our own.  You know the cliche` "when it rains, it pours"?  Well, it was pouring on us.

As I think back, not once did we ask "Why us?".  Our response was "Why not us?"  I remember saying to Tom, "If we can't beat this burden, then who can?  How can we say words of encouragement to others if we have not experienced these difficulties ourselves?"

As Christians we had prepared for the winter.  Winters come, and we were expecting it.  But, like always, we hoped for an easy one;  a little snow; a few sub-zero days; no cold north winds!.  That was not to be.  Our winter had all the bad stuff, all at once, and it lingered on and on.  But as I said, we were armed.

Stored were the promises of God.  Daily we fed on His Word; talked of His examples; how He help His children through hard times.  We rejoiced and looked forward to the Spring because we knew it would come!  Not as soon as we had hoped, but it came.

Looking back I realize we are now better, stronger, and wiser.  God is more real.  We have less fear of what can happen to us.  We know, by our own experience, that God does walk with us, protect us, intercede for us, and do miracles today.  Not only for us, but all of His children.

Like the story at the beginning, if you are prepared, you can sleep while the winds blow.

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