Storm Warnings

In order to keep from becoming shipwrecked or marooned, we must learn to be strong swimmers. We must also become lifeguards if we are to help ourselves and others remain safe and to keep from falling prey to the ever-shifting moods of the rivers in which we paddle.

From the first dawn of our conceptions, we inhabit a peaceful, liquid environment, and then reconfirm God's mastery in our lives when we are dipped in the baptismal waters. After these still water environments, we begin to face faster moving currents, eddies, rushing streams, rapids, and occasional unexpected falls and white cap waves as we move through the perilous experiences of adulthood.

Only when we reach the comfort of our golden years do we again enter into more serene ponds. To navigate successfully through our emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental streams, we must be well versed in the tactics needed to address the dangers that await us.

Life Preservers

Rough and stormy waters include unexpected changes in temperature and current speeds. When these problems crop up, we can handle the shifting seas of our life if we are flexible and realize that the answers to any of our concerns can be found within the three pillars of the Church (Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium). It also helps to consider alternate plans before we are thrown off course!

We can stroke right through unexpected changes in life, church problems, financial setbacks, family fighting, loss of faith, minor illnesses, depression, and troubled relationships with a little preparation. They are all to be expected if we are active participants in our own lives.

Storms have huge waves that threaten to capsize our lifeboats. If we avoid panicking, we find that the Lord is just swiftly moving us into a new situation that is better for us. By praying hard and trusting even during crises, we will come out okay.

Always have a life vest on and only use the J.A.B. (Jesus Approved Brand) type. As big as a problem may seem at the time, job termination, family crises, catastrophic illness, the death of a loved one, or other overwhelming events can be weathered with practice and patience.

Beware the Undertow

The streams we paddle in life can also have a nefarious undertow. These hazards are the worst as they are unseen and can rarely be planned for. The undertow is hard to explain or anticipate, as it seems to be tailor-made to suck our life under for good. This dangerous current beneath the water runs counter to the flow of the surface but knowing who operates this dark water helps us combat it.

Having faithful friends and support groups, a strong spiritual life, good emotional health, and the tools of your faith will help keep you from being drawn under.

T. Jefferson Parker explains the nature of evil well in his novel, Where
Serpents Lie. He says, "There's a stream that trickles through all of us. It's always there. It's evil and we know this, so we force it to mix with the larger river inside us. We let it be consumed by the greater flow of good. But when the good in the river runs dry and there isn't enough of it to dilute the stream, then the stream flows faster and harder, uncontrolled, and it finally floods one life, then another, then another. And it's always the innocent who are easiest to pull down. It's always the innocent who are standing on the banks and looking in, curious and trusting - even a little brave. The innocent never know. They need someone with an eye for evil, someone who sees it coming before there is anything at all to see. They need people who know the stream."

Yes, they need lifeguards. And God can certify us as great and strong lifeguards if only we have the desire to apply.

Life Applications:

What associations with water and life can you draw in your own situation?
Are you armed with extra equipment to meet the challenge of navigating life's storms?
Besides the devil's tactics, what other forces threaten to drag you down or off course and what can you do to guard against them for yourself and others?