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The rain is loudly pounding on the old metal roof of the refurbished farmhouse I call home. Sitting beside new double-pane windows, I watch torrents of water wash the leaves from the walkway leading to my front door. In the days before these tight-fitting windows were installed, it was unwise to sit so close. Rain could blow through the gaps each time the wind rattled through.
Today the sound of precipitation pelting the windows and rushing off the roof brings a feeling of winter that cold temperatures alone have failed to do. Here in northwest Florida, we rarely have snow.
I can see how the house and the winter storm correlate with my own life now, as I enjoy my senior years. God has reset my priorities, improved my attitude, repaired the leaks in my soul and refurbished my heart with a new attitude of thankfulness. Each day I gain strength knowing that God has given me a wonderful life and a new beginning, in much the same way that I have refurbished this old house.
This message is excerpted from “The winter storm” by Ruby J. Kelly in the January/February 2024 Gather magazine. Today we commemorate Agnes, martyr, c. 304.