I clearly don't suffer from S.A.D.

Today I was driving along, and noticed a round silhouette in the general overcastness. "Oh yeah!" I thought. There's a sun up there! Not that it was bothering me that we haven't seen it in weeks. I just forgot all about its existence. I am happy with the snow, the birds chirping while it falls quietly, my family, and the stuff I am learning as I read my Bible and study with other ladies and pray and go to German class and read people's Facebook stati (would that be the plural of status? :-) Oh, nope, it seems to be statuses) and look at my son's incomprehensible AP Calculus worksheets. Aha, you say - you didn't learn anything from the latter! Oh, yes, I learn that he is just like his admirable father, who also took Calculus AP classes in high school - one each in 11th and 12th grades, just like Jason is planning on doing. I'm glad there are people in the world like them. I did enjoy math, and I still very much like algebra. Just not too keen on the differentiation and integration, although I remember dabbling in them way back when.

In any case, it's snowing again, and I happily shoveled the driveway for about the ninth time this season. As someone on Facebook pointed out, I have a small driveway. He challenged me to clear his 150ft driveway happily without a snowblower. I had to concede. That would be a full-time job. Mine is just big enough to give me a little exercise and fresh air and sense of immediate accomplishment.

I was doing some errands this morning, and as I exited the third shop, I gloried in the copious snow coming down. This led to general thankfulness and wonder at how we get to live here in a place with mountains, lots of snow, cleanliness, abundance, snow plows, etc. I was so happy and excited at the way God has blessed our family, until, all of a sudden, Fear struck. Surely this means something bad is coming. You can't expect this to continue so well. There's a limit to this. You're going to have an accident, or someone is going to get very ill or die, or... Wow. I had to quickly switch from thankfulness to earnest battle prayer against the joy-stealing attacks from the enemy, pounding me with deceit. Time to counter it with Truth: I'm in God's hands. Whatever He sends, He will equip me with grace and strength to face it. He is not out to get me. He delights to bless. He is trustworthy. He doesn't do stuff randomly; He always has reasons, whether I know/understand them or not.

Now that I'm home, I'm looking up some verses to back up my recollections/reconstructions of these truths:

I'm in God's hands as I fight the lies: Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. (Psalm 31:4-5)

Whatever He sends, He will equip me with grace and strength to face it: God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)

He is not out to get me. He delights to bless: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. (Jeremiah 32:40)

You have been pleased to bless the house of your servant. (1 Chronicles 17:27)

He is trustworthy: O Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your words are trustworthy (2 Samuel 7:28)

He doesn't do stuff randomly; He always has reasons, whether I know/understand them or not: God is mighty, but does not despise men; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose. (Job 36:5)

But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. (Psalm 33:11)

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever. (Psalm 138:8)

So even though I don't suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, I do suffer from year-round attacks of fear, doubt, pride, or whatever the devil chooses to mess with me today about. Fortunately, God is on duty year-round, never takes a snow day, always has His plows in tip top working order, to plow away those pernicious lies that slip into my head and threaten to steal my joy and peace in Him. All the better for me if I catch them quickly and hand them over to Him for help: We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)