IBD Creative Outlet

You Can't Stop the Wind by Sue Hobbs

You can't stop the wind from blowin'.
You can't keep the rain from fallin' down.
You can't stop the seasons from goin' round and round.
You can't plant a seed in the hard, dry ground.

Every season has its reason for being.
Every storm has its part in the plan.
Every day, every night, everything is all right,
So settle down close to love all you can.

I need you close by in the Winter
The same as I did in the Spring.
The storm winds blow cold;
I need you to hold my hand through everything.

No, you can't stop the wind from blowin'.
You can't keep the rain from fallin' down.
You can't stop the seasons from goin' round and round,
And I'm really grateful -- yes, I've learned to be grateful --
'Cause I love what the showers do for the ground.

Dawn Came by Sue Hobbs

Dawn came this morning
Like many dawns before.
It might have been quite splendid
Or maybe just one more.

But I didn't see the sunrise this morning.
I didn't see it rise yesterday.
I might not see it rise tomorrow.
I've other things to do with my day.

Up before dawn this morning,
Work and worry starts before the sun some days.
Looked and saw the sun had risen,
And suddenly I knew that all along, every day,

The sun comes up each morning,
Whether or not I see.
Days come and go whether or not I know,
So I might as well take my tea

And see the sun rise in the morning.
I missed the dawn yesterday.
I don't have to miss tomorrow's.
I can make time for dawn in my day.

© Susan N. Hobbs. All rights reserved.

Deciding to Trust by Sue Hobbs

It was a pivotal moment in my life. I'd been noticing something about how I'd been earning my living; that the paychecks were arriving at dire cost to my well-being. The truth is, I hated what I was doing, and I was spending all my time and energy doing it. At the end of an 8-hour day, I didn't have much left to be a mom, let alone pursue any dreams of my own. I felt sad and tired and even got sick.

One kid-free day off, I sat down at the word processor and began to write about my dilemma. Eight hours later, I had completed a short novel. It was exhilarating. I'd invested all that time and energy, but felt so nourished by the process that I had plenty to spare.

Then I was asked to write a piece for the church Lenten devotional booklet, and was assigned Matthew 4:1-14. The day I had planned to write the devotional, the pastor happened to preach about it. Somebody seemed to be trying to tell me something.

To pursue a writing career would definitely not be a way to gain instant financial gratification (to turn a stone into bread) and would surely be an exercise in releasing control to God. But what of leaping from the parapet? Isn't that what I was considering?

The pastor had said, "The only security in Christ is the abandonment of security." Would I be putting God to the test? Or would I be putting myself to the test by abandoning the fragile and illusory security of the "sensible" job in favor of the true and eternal security of Christ, as expressed through the use of my special gifts? Would this not be a deep expression of the faith I had long professed?

The conclusion I reached was that sometimes one has to take a chance; to try one thing for a while, and if it clearly isn't working for the better, to try something else. I'd tried being sensible, and I was perishing. I decided it was time to find out what was possible if I committed myself to using my gifts fully, in faith and trust.

© Susan N. Hobbs. All rights reserved.

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© 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Sue Hobbs All rights reserved. IBD Creative Outlet - http://home.pacbell.net/suehobbs/ Updated November 2004