^{Matthew 8: 23-26}

²³Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

 ²⁶He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

I had tucked my children in to peaceful slumber in the camper on a mild August evening.  We were all tuckered out from a day of fun in the sun with good friends at Family Camp.  Not much time could have passed before I awoke with a start.

The camper was lighting up with trails of lightning scurrying across the night sky.  Thunder boomed and roared as it chased the lightning across the dark clouds.  This game of tag between the elements roused me from sleep with instant terror.  My heart was beating fast, my eyes were wide open, there was no slipping back into restful unconsciousness.

Then I glanced at my children – still peaceful, still slumbering, not a hint of terror on their cherub faces.  I was instantly reminded of the story of Jesus calming the storm.  I was just like one of the panicked disciples, fearing the worst.  Then I looked at my children again and realized they were just like Jesus, they showed no concern for the imminent dangers of the camper being hit by lightning, flooded by rain or picked up and swept away by the wind!  They… just… slept.

I prayed that God would calm the storm, just as Jesus did, but the celestial game of tag carried on through the night, oblivious to the curfews of the camp.  I couldn’t tell who was “it”, the thunder and lightning were giddy with the fun of it all – constantly catching each other, it seemed there was no end to their antics.

Then I prayed for peace, that I’d be able to sleep through the storm,  just like my boys, just like Jesus.  There I found the lesson learned, there I found the peace, and as I drifted into slumber once again, I heard this saying playing in my mind:

Sometimes God calms the storm… sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.

And I learn yet another wonderful lesson from my children and I thank God for them once again.