JUNE GLOOM...IN JULY

For those of you who think Southern California is always sunny...THINK AGAIN!

Let me tell you, it's NOT! Especially in June. There is this lovely phenomenon called "June Gloom." The name pretty much sums it up. It's a phrase that should be read with a scary, horror soundtrack in the background. Basically, just about every morning in June we wake up to overcast, gray, dismal skies. Sometimes, the cloud blanket lasts all day...especially at the beach.

What causes this?

It's something called a marine layer. We live about 30 minutes inland from the Pacific Ocean. And our warmer temperatures cause fog to roll in onshore. It's a pretty weird thing. My folks live at the beach, and sometimes when I visit them, their house is "socked in" with cold, foggy weather - but then if you drive, literally only a few blocks away, there is a bright shining sun and blue skies.

I remember when I was a kid - my dad would often rent a place at the beach for our vacation. Yup, it was awesome! When I was younger, it was great - I just enjoyed swimming and bicycling, building sand castles, and getting to stay up late. But when I got to my teens, something happened...I started worrying about how I looked. Then, going to the beach meant getting a tan!! It was still "PC" in those days to sit for hours, baking in the sun, to get that browned-toast look that we all thought was so sexy!

Sorry, Coppertone!

However, more times than I can count, I would wake up at the beach, looking to go out and get that tan - only to find "June Gloom." Picture me sitting on the beach, shivering, with a towel wrapped around me, muttering under my breath, "I could be getting my tan at home right now...GRRR!" My mom tried to encourage me by telling me that you could get sunburned even through the fog - yes, that CAN happen - but it has to be a THIN marine layer!

So, as you can see, "June Gloom" is not a friend of mine!

I'm also one of those people, even to this day, that finds my moods affected by the weather. Some souls LOVE rainy, gray weather. (DISCLAIMER: I'm not trying to throw anyone or any state "under the bus" here - my apologies to Seattle, Portland, and anywhere else I couldn't live!) I just seem to get gloomy right along with those thick clouds. And...this year we have had some weird weather..."June Gloom" has lasted all the way to the end of July!

Yes, we even had rain and thunderstorms last week!

So, almost every day for the last two months (can you hear the frustration?!), I wake to find myself looking out the window at gray drizzle. I try to force myself not to crawl back into bed and pull the blankets over my head. Keep the sweatshirts out, put away the bikini (tried to sneak that one in there - but those of you who know me, won't buy the idea of a "Change-of-Life Empty-Nester" in a bikini!) But then, it hit me the other day. Isn't this all so WRONG as a follower of Jesus?

Oh, Lord - forgive me for allowing my surroundings, especially the weather, to dictate the way I FEEL...

Have I become like the Israelites - complaining about manna? Yes, I think I have. God provided those Israelites with HIS VERY OWN FOOD...each and every single day. And they complained. I, too, have become a "weather whiner." I have focused on an EXTERNAL circumstance, and allowed it to determine my INTERNAL focus. Oh, dear...

Lord, time to re-adjust...what do YOU have to say about our days?

"A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else!" (Psalm 84:10)

"This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)

"Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." (Psalm 139:16)

"Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life..." (Psalm 23:6)

"Give us each day the food we need..." (Luke 11:3)

"That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day." (2 Corinthians 4:16)

"Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." (Lamentations 3:23)

Yes, this is what the Lord has to say:

Each day is a GIFT from Him.
We should be glad and REJOICE.
He PLANNED our days before we were born.
His goodness and love are EVER-PRESENT.
He has DAILY BREAD to sustain us.
He is RENEWING us every day.
His MERCIES are fresh each morning.

You know, it's not the WEATHER that matters, it's WHETHER I'm ready to serve Him - TODAY!!

"And the LORD came and called...'[Sharon! Sharon]!"
And [Sharon] replied, 'Speak, your servant is listening!'"
(From 1 Samuel 3:10)

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"