Kendall Smith, No-Div
Kendall is an elementary science teacher and an avid lover of books, nature, and long walks. She is easily distracted by thunderstorms and loves a good conversation over coffee.
When I was in high school, I found that one of my favorite things was to drive my 1988 blue Crown Victoria up behind the school and sit, perched on top of a smallish hill, and watch the thunderstorms roll in. This is slightly shocking, considering that, a decade earlier I was the kid hiding in the corner (or in the bathroom) whenever a thunderstorm approached. But my dad’s love of storms and our random journeys, in our pajamas, to drive around and look at storm clouds turned my fear into a different kind of fear--one I’ll call wonder.
There was something about those Kansas thunderstorms that evoked feelings of terror and awe, wondering if we’d survive it and then, again, being upset once it had moved on. I think that’s why the dirt road overlooking the high school was my favorite--I was alone watching this monstrous, beautiful act of Nature roll in, overwhelmed by its beauty and my smallness in comparison.
As I grew up and moved away, I began to realize that one reason I loved storms was because they reminded me of the power and wild-ness of God. He created this good world and with it, the possibility for thunderstorms and tornadoes, hurricanes and tsunamis. And although I know they can be terribly destructive at times, they are always astoundingly beautiful. And at no point are we ever in control of these weather events.
I remember one particular time a few years back when I could tell a large thunderstorm was coming near our town. I decided that was the perfect time for a walk. As I found a street that had a better view, I watched, transfixed, as dark blue storm clouds covered the sun, and the bow echo winds pushed forward in their white, turbulent wake. Rain shafts lined the distance, and lightning and thunder heralded its arrival. It was stunning, and I stopped and watched, and in that moment, I felt worship well up in me like never before. This God that loves me, this God who is kind and gentle and gracious and beautiful--also weaves winds and jet streams and air pressure systems into a beautiful show that, if we will slow down, can stop us in our tracks.
As I look back on that powerful experience, I realize that worship takes all kinds of shapes. It can be singing a favorite song, speaking the truth about who God is, falling on our knees in prayer, and also, enjoying the incredible beauty that surrounds us. In fact, I think this last way has been most powerful for me. I’ll write more about it in part 2--but learning to see Creation in a new way has given me a deeper understanding of who God is. He is King over it all, and every coneflower, meadowlark, cottonwood tree, and cicada sings His praise. We can hear it too, if we will only stop to listen.