as it was in the days of Noah...

winter didn't even have the common decency to knock before entering this year.  it arrived literally overnight, virtually unannounced.  with a vengeance! it's funny, we'd been hearing reports of a 'la nina' storm that would last all winter long...lots and lots of snow.  the skiers and snowboarders have been losing sleep over this, they're so excited.  in anticipation of this epic winter season, we've been talking about what needs to be done in preparation for it.  and here in lies my frustration...those things didn't get accomplished.  the gutters didn't get put up around the lower barn, the one water pump that freezes...every year... didn't get dealt with.  the one stall door that is completely stuck from both sides didn't get fixed.  the horses still have their shoes on...metal horse shoes + snow = snowball high heels, not a comfortable way for a horse to spend their day.  shall i go on?  several piles of firewood that had been cut didn't make it to the house, they are now covered in snow. in a few days, we probably won't be able to find them!  the second load of hay hasn't yet been delivered.  now, we may have to load it into the barn by hand because the snow and slush might prevent the truck from getting down to where the barn is.  a little extra preparation would've gone a long way.  we talked about it.  it's not like we didn't know winter was coming.  we just didn't expect it to come so soon.

as i fretted over all my lack of proper planning and preparation for this winter, i realized several things: 1, that God's timing is perfect.  HE and he alone knows the exact, right, perfect time for the seasons to change.  he created this world after all, who am i to say.."no,no,no!! not yet!!". do i dare doubt his ways? do i dare spend another minute worrying over something that is out of my control? 2, i need to do a better job following through on my planning.  my two favorite sayings are: 'i'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it' and 'if you fail to plan, you plan to fail'.  that being said, it's a wonder i didn't get my plans accomplished.  and 3, this all is so obviously paralleled with Jesus coming it's almost laughable!! clearly, the Bible says that 'no man knows the day or the hour, not even the angles in Heaven...'. Jesus will return, we all know it. the Bible says so. we talk about it. others have heard about it, maybe heard us talking about it.  but it's not enough to talk, hear, or even plan... we have to be prepared!!! we have to be ready!!!  'as it was in the days of Noah...', people were just going about their busy days, doing what they normally do. not aware of the disaster about to befall them.  even though Noah warned them, they ignored him.  Jesus says it will be the same when he returns... we will be going about our business, executing our regular routines...and one will be taken, the other left.  there won't be time to change anything or fix anything.  plans won't be able to save anyone.  only prior, proper, preparations that are firmly in place will do.  and that means that Jesus, the King of Glory will need to be on the throne of each and every heart that calls him Lord...