It's Hailing

Just a few minutes ago we had a hailstorm. And it was coming down in sheets. About the size of a penny. Within a few minutes the temperature dipped by about 20 degrees as the sidewalk and street became full of bouncing bits of frozen rain.

As it turned out, I'd been outside mowing the lawn about a half-hour before the storm and heard thunder (it's actually thundering still).

While I'm sure there would be some folks who would view a hail storm as a threat, or inconvenience, this particular time I'm seeing it differently. I see it as an adventure, even as something to refresh my spirit on a late Friday afternoon as we head into the weekend.

Yesterday my workplace held a staff retreat. That too was a time of refreshing, a time of reflection and a time to recharge. The occurrence of a hail storm the day after our staff retreat only serves to underscore the importance of taking the time to step aside from daily activities. Isn't it ironic that it's part of human nature to gravitate to the familiar and the known; but at the same time, our spirits long to be lifted above the daily routine.

I encourage you to deliberately take time to step out of your routine. You decide the activity or the place. But take the time to be refreshed!