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Disclaimer: You would expect this (or I would anyway, if I were reading it) to be a Christmas-oriented column. However, that's not what inspired me this week, and since I wrote about holiday things the last two times, here's what I have to offer.

My three-year-old has developed a large ego. A couple of week ago he put a bucket on his head (a hat in his mind, I suppose - hey he's got a weird sense of humor), marched into the living room and told his grandpa, "I'm in charge of the weather!"

Whether he came up with this idea on his own (probable), or had it put into his head by his big brother or one of his uncles (plausible), he was sincere. He does like to be in charge and can be relentless in trying to wear down the grown-ups in the house until he gets what he wants. You know, the type of child where the distraction method doesn't work. You finally get him to sleep and just know he'll have forgotten when he wakes up. But he opens his eyes and immediately begins the same request as before.

I'm not sure if we've convinced him he's not in charge of the weather, but we haven't begun to agree with him yet, which must be a good sign!

It sounds like he is a rude and spoiled child, which I pray he is not. But he is determined to get his way. It reminds me of me with God. So many times I think I know what's best and I pray for God to help me do it my way instead of being still before Him to find out what His way might be.

I struggle with this on big and small issues. And I don't even want to be in charge of the weather. I'd be happy just to get an accurate forecast most of the time. (But as we say in Illinois, "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute.")

I know that God is in charge of the weather. My son knows it too, but he hasn't accepted it yet. Perhaps I can learn from him. When it comes to the storms of my life, the climate of my household, a sunny disposition, I don't always wait for God to send healing rain, or even to calm the storm.

There's a song called "Little Flowers" which talks about how the flowers never worry when the wind and rain come, because without it they wouldn't grow. Like those flowers, I can choose to be "down in the dirt", "comin' on up" or just "pretty bloomin' good".

So if we get some snow for Christmas (There, I managed to work it in!), I'll out playing in it. But whatever the actual weather, I will let God provide my forecast.

Check out Luke 12:27 for a positive forecast!

"Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life" from Tom Kelley

The Best Ace