Stormy hearts

Have any of you ever heard of The O'Neill Brothers?

As I type, I listen to the soulful strokes of the piano keys...such beauty that is drawn out from the huge box of wood and ivory! :) I am a huge fan of piano music. However, I'm not necessarily into 'classical' music. I prefer the spontaneous, beautiful, passionate tunes that express one's heart, not one's knowlege of rhythym and the theory of music. Not that rhythym and music theory are less beautiful; they're simply not my style. I like the stuff that keeps you guessing, if you know what I mean. You never know what will come out of the instrument next. :)

But, back to my original point...The O'Neill Brothers are two (somewhat young) brothers who have produced many albums of beautiful, passionate music -- for every occasion, preference, and time. They have everything from lullabies, beautiful wedding/reception pieces, heartfelt funeral pieces, hymns, instrumental 'oldies', Holiday music, love songs -- you name it! They even have an album with fitting pieces for summer, winter, spring, and fall. I love the summer album. :) There is one particular song that I adore. It's called Stormy Weather. So full of passion, sorrow, joy, ecstasy, and pain at the same time. Sound strange? Well, it is rather hard to explain. In a small way, it seems to cover all the moments in life. The reminiscent ponderings, the joyous moments when you're ready to scream you're so happy you're alive; the tears that come from deep, deep inside you, and the incredible sorrows that life sometimes, inevitably, brings one's way.

I relate to this song, especially at this time in my life. It seems that around every corner, there are extremes that jump out at me. Reminiscent ponderings -- yes, very much. Joyous moments? Yes! Tears and sorrow, Yes, yes. Each of these have been flooding my heart as of late.

Sometimes it's just a gentle drizzle of rain. Now don't even try to tell me that sometimes, when it's been raining for what seems like a month, and sunshine hasn't showed its face in what seems forever, it isn't easy to end up feeling a little glum. And such is life.
And then there is the joy of several fingers of sunlight reaching through the clouds, making the rain seem like diamonds falling from the cloudy skies.
And then comes the rainbow. Promise. Hope. Relief floods you, as you realize the rain truly may not go on forever!
And then there are the real storms, when the blasts of thunder shiver through your entire body. Lightning rips through the sky, slashing the blackness in two. The hair on the back of your neck stands up as electrons shimmie through the atmosphere. The winds whip and race and cackle through the trees, and you shiver as you try to sleep through the blackness of the night.
Suddenly the light falls across your face as a warm hand on your forehead. You slowly open your eyes and realize that the storm is over, and morning has come. You throw the window open and take in the fresh, clean breeze. The earth is refreshed, washed of the dust and heat. You step outside into the cool, damp grass and feel the warm, damp, clean earth beneath your feet. You run to the sunrise and spread your arms out. Throwing your head back, you laugh.

The storm will always be there. The rain, the wind, lightning, thunder -- all of it. The fear, passion and anger of the fury brewing charge you with volatile emotions. And then it's all over, and you are reminded once again that God is there with you, even in the midst of the storms.

And eventually, after you've been through enough storms, the fear and volatile feelings melt away and you remember that no matter what happens, God is always there, and He knows what has happened, what is happening -- and best of all, what will happen. But the trust doesn't always develop fully till you've seen enough storms, and seen the outcome.

"For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will
bring
you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but
with
everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the Lord your
Redeemer. "To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters
of
Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be
angry with
you, never to rebuke you again. Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be
removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of
peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on
you. "O afflicted city,
lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you
with stones of turquoise,
your foundations with sapphires. I will make your
battlements of rubies, your
gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of
precious stones. All your sons
will be taught by the Lord, and great will be
your children's peace. In
righteousness you will be established: Tyranny
will be far from you; you will
have nothing to fear. Terror will be far
removed; it will not come near you. If
anyone does attack you, it will not
be my doing; whoever attacks you will
surrender to you. See, it is I who
created the blacksmith who fans the coals
into flame and forges a weapon fit
for its work. And it is I who have created
the destroyer to work havoc; no
weapon forged against you will prevail, and you
will refute every tongue
that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants
of the Lord, and this
is their vindication from me," declares the Lord. "Come,
all you who are
thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come,
buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend
money on
what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen,
listen
to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of
fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make
an
everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. See, I
have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the
peoples.
Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do
not know you
will hasten to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One
of Israel, for he
has endowed you with splendor." Seek the Lord while he may
be found; call on him
while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and
the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy
on him, and to our God, for he
will freely pardon. For my thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are your ways
my ways," declares the Lord. "As the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are
my ways higher than your ways and
my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain
and the snow come down from
heaven, and do not return to it without watering the
earth and making it bud
and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and
bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not
return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose
for which I sent
it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the
mountains and
hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the
field will
clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,
and
instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord's renown,
for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed." (Isaiah
54:7-55:13)