Whether it's Cold or Whether it's Hot

I have a friend who writes a daily devotional. Each day I turn on the computer, it is there for me in living color.

I remember the day I clicked on the heading and there it was - a word for the day. A mother statement in poetry that spoke volumes: “Whether it's cold or whether it's hot, we'll get through it, whether or not.”

The weather has always puzzled me. Just this week the high was 85 on Monday. By Wednesday it had dropped to the mid 30's. Go figure.

At times my body sure can't figure it out. We grandmothers know when the heat index is messed up and the thermostat jumps around; we're in a heap of trouble. When the weather gets whacky there is more cause for alarm. Our internal thermostat goes haywire.

Body temp or no, this too shall pass. I will survive. Layering is the answer in the natural. Just put on and take off and the body is happy.

The spiritual life is no different. So many things happening at once, so many lowering and raising of the spiritual temperature, it's hard to keep up. I remember in college, when something bad happened, I would stay in a funk for days, maybe weeks. Today, thirty-five years later, I might experience a funeral and a rehearsal dinner - on the same day - spiritual temperature going haywire.

Today if I let everything that happened get me down. I would become schizophrenic overnight. Life is moving too fast and I seem to be along for the ride, hanging on for dear life.

The important lesson is that God is with us no matter what. We will get through. The part that faith plays in our response is a testimony to God's faithfulness that we can pass on to our children and grandchildren.

My friend Beverlee taught me a lesson in spiritual temperature. Beverlee's son was to marry on a Saturday morning. On Thursday night her mother died. On Saturday at the wedding I asked how she was doing. I'll never forget her words. “Well”, she said, “today I am celebrating my son's wedding. On Monday, I will bury my mother and mourn.”

Beverlee knew the secret of life. Was she sad about her mother's death? Of course; but she was not going to let it interfere with the joy of celebrating her son's wedding. This takes a very wise woman to be able to carry this off.

I have learned a lot from Beverlee. What she says is true. If I let the hard knocks of life get me down, I'd miss the joys of celebrating the milestones in the life of my family and friends. The older I get the more people there are in my life that have ups and downs. I just have to roll with the punches. And sometimes life sucks.

My mother who is in her mid eighties once told me, “You know, my social life used to be weddings and parties. Now all I do is go to funerals.” Many days she does go to a funeral, yet she still finds time to play golf and bridge, to garden and enjoy the symphony, to eat dinner with friends.

But she continued,” If I let it get me down, I would not plan or do anything for fear I'd not be available. I've learned you just have to plan life. If it's interrupted, it's interrupted. Sometimes you just can't do anything about it.”

Sometimes life is cold, at other times hot, but as grandmothers we can demonstrate this temperature gauge for our children and grandchildren. Hanging out our spiritual thermometer is a good way to have an influence and share our faith that God's grace will get us through.

My dad used to have a saying, “keep on keeping on”. When life gets hard and cold we muddle through knowing that, with God, we can weather anything. God promises he will take us through to the other side. He is our barometer and our protector.

What a great weather gauge to leave as an inheritance for our children and grandchildren.

Marty Norman is a wife, mother, and grandmother, who lives in Fort Worth , Texas . She is the author of “Generation G – Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray.”