Ignore the elements

It was beautiful outside today and apparently it's gonna be like this for the next few days. You can always appreciate a warm fall day, even in prison. It's easy to "zone out" in a good way, regardless of your surroundings, because of the clear blue sky, the warm sun, and gentle breeze. I found myself focusing on the few white clouds, instead of the 20ft (plus) high barbed wire fences and the even taller guard towers. The activity in the yard is organized chaos with 18 or more foreigners playing soccer on a 50 yard dirt field, full court basketball game with bent rims and sand patches on the concrete, and many more inmates scattered all across the weight pit either working out or hanging out.

Still, when the warmth of the sun allows you to forget where you are, you realize how climate controlled we have become. Bad weather has the complete opposite effect on an inmate's demeanor. And not just inmates, but everybody confined or not, seems to be affected by the weather. If it is sunny and warm, we are more predisposed to be pleasant; and the opposite holds true, when life becomes stormy and chaotic, we become stressed and negative.

Why does the "bad" in life have to bring out the worst in us? Can we in fact be different than what our surroundings are speaking to us? I have seen what the climate (weather) can do to an inmate's behavior.

Where is our consistency as believers and what "sun" are we relying on for our peace? "For the Lord God is a sun and shield".......(Psalm 84:11); And what are we allowing to move us, "chains/tribulations" or "rain/precipitation"? "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish the race with joy."(Acts 20:24).

I'd rather trust in the One who controls my surroundings than allow my surroundings to control me. Him, "who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains" (Psalm 147:8).

And even in the chaos of the tier and taking into account its unpleasantness, I'd rather "Stand Still and consider the wondrous works of God" (Job 37:14).