A Rather Blustery Night

This breezy day is reminding me of a funny little incident that happened when I was a girl. As many of you know, I grew up in an old house, beautifully restored now, but back in the day, it was not airtight and by no means warm when the cold winds blew. On these breezy days (and nights) the old windows would rattle in their frames and they could be heard all over the house. We were used to them. Our visitor one night was not.

A family member came to stay for a few days and was given the best room we had. It sat at the bottom of the attic stairs and had a big bay window that overlooked town. We settled our guest into her room and everyone had dinner and the evening advanced and it was time for bed. That's when the fun began.

The big old house was dark and everyone was asleep but one. That poor soul was up wandering around in her room, trying to figure out where the NOISE was coming from. The NOISE had woken her up and there was no way on this earth she was going back to sleep. She got back in bed for a bit, still listening, still frightened to death, and then she couldn't take it any longer. She, a grown woman, crossed the hall to my mother's room and woke her up and demanded she come back to her room. See...she thought there were spirits trying to communicate to her in that room under the attic stairs and she was mortally afraid.

I'm sure my mother rolled her eyes (too dark to see) but she politely went with our guest back to her room. Mom walked over to the window that HAD BEEN RATTLING IN THE BREEZE and laid her hand on it and the noise stopped! All that time of terror and tension due to a rattling windowpane. Back to bed my mother went...and we got to hear of the fun after the departure of the visitor.

I can laugh about this story and say how silly....how ridiculous, but I'm not really that different. Nighttime is hard for me. I wake up sometimes and a little thought comes into my head...just a little one and it rattles around and makes some noise and before long it becomes a NOISE THAT WILL NOT STOP. I become afraid and the worry starts and it grows and grows and keeps me from my rest and then I remember I can go to the Father. I don't have to cross the cold scary hall under the attic stairs...all I have to do is call out and He's there. He puts His hand of mercy on that NOISY thought and it stills and I can rest.

Having any nighttime noises that scare you? Do you do your best worrying and wandering while the rest of the house is asleep? Go to the Father of all comfort and He will give you rest.

Mark 4:39 (The Message)

Awake now, Jesus told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, "Quiet! Settle down!" The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass.