An Act of God

For the past ten years, I have been reviewing legal contracts in one capacity or another. In every contract, there is a section that releases all parties of liability when an Act of God occurs. One such act may be an earthquake or a tornado or a hail storm that destroys a building or some documents. It is the section of the contract that I generally just scan because the information is so boilerplate.

Today I was given the opportunity to really think about an Act of God - certainly not in the context of a legal document, but in a general sense. I stood in my daughter's bedroom today after picking up all the stuffed animals on her floor, putting the myriad of books back on her bookshelf and making her bed. I pulled up the shade and looked outside. She has the best view of our backyard (and because of this, she wants Santa to bring her a telescope).

I watched the trees in my backyard dancing like there was no tomorrow! It wasn't a waltz or the chicken dance, it was down right rock 'n roll. Guns 'n Roses meets Metallica in my backyard. They were bent over, their branches shaking, leaves going everywhere; and they are having a ball. Instead of floating leisurely to the ground, they are flying in circles, orchestrated like migrating birds. And it is beautiful.

As I stood there, I watched a tree fall over in the woods. One second it was standing and dancing and the next, it was done. All 75' of it downed by one gust of wind. (Unfortunately, I wasn't outside to hear it as it fell in the woods, so I don't know if it made sound).

And then, the deck furniture fell over, the open umbrella flew across my deck and the chairs tumbled behind it. The dogs barked in fear. I jumped in fear. It has been one helluva windy day today.

Winter has come. The trees that are still standing shiver in their nakedness, embarking on a cold winter. The fall season for me is officially over, even though the calendar argues to the contrary. Days like today make me appreciate the changing seasons, the changing ways of God, and they lead me to believe that the darkness of winter is just a reminder that things are always changing and on the first Indian Summer day of spring I will be dancing like a rock star.

And on that first Indian Summer day of my new life, I will be singing Alleluia.