Pastor's Note

WOOD COUNTY WIND
November 19th, 2006

Northern Wood County has three claims to uniqueness. First of all, there are the deep and scary ditches along side many of the country roads. Of course, I know that ditches were necessary to finally drain the Black Swamp many years ago. As we head towards winter, however, I always worry about driving on icy roads next to those ditches.
Secondly, Wood County is flat. I admit I miss the hills of Richland County, where I was assigned for eleven years. At the same time, I am discovering a beauty in the flat landscape.
Finally and especially, we in Northern Wood County have wind, lots of wind. So I have been meditating on wind recently.
You can’t see it, but you know it’s there. Wind comes strong or gentle – usually strong. It can make a chilly day colder and it can penetrate most clothing. Sometimes wind takes down tree branches or simply blows away garbage placed out for pick-up.
Scientists tell us that wind also has many useful purposes. Sometimes it is harnessed for windmills or gliders. Nature itself uses wind to spread pollen and prepare for next year’s plant growth. Birds, like eagles and vultures, love to fly in the wind and allow the wind to do the work of moving them.
Whether we like it or not, the wind is a constant force in our lives. Maybe this week, as we experience it, we can thank God for it. Even when it is more than we want, it may still be beneficial. And like wind, God’s love is a force in our lives that sometimes takes us where we don’t expect to go.