2022-32 Can You Sleep When The Wind Blows

The other day we had one of those good ol’ summer thunderstorms roll through. There was lightning crashing and flashing through the night sky every few seconds. One element that was not expected to be so powerful was the extreme force of the wind as the down pouring rain soon became horizontal rain and tree limbs began breaking and roofs were damaged all through the neighborhood. I have seen this forceful of wind a few times. One of those time was when I was a teenager and we were traveling cross country to Iowa for a family reunion and ended up in the middle of a storm that produced the largest F5 tornado the state had seen in years. Now tornados are very rare where we live in Utah and we have not had one in years. I’m just saying that this wind was really strong during this last storm and was bringing back those memories of tree limbs flying across our windshield. The next mornings my daughter and I drove around to see some of the damage and it was amazing to see what the wind can do and how some neighborhoods had more damage than others. It reminded me of a Scouter’s Minute that I shared back in 2018 before putting this podcast together.

This one is entitled “Can You Sleep When The Wind Blows?”

A young man applied for a job as a farmhand. When the farmer asked for his qualifications, he said, "I can sleep when the wind blows." This puzzled the farmer. But he liked the young man, and hired him. A few days later, the farmer and his wife were awakened in the night by a violent storm. They quickly began to check things out to see if all was secure. They found that the shutters of the farmhouse had been securely fastened. A good supply of logs had been set next to the fireplace. The young man slept soundly.

The farmer and his wife then inspected their property. They found that the farm tools had been placed in the storage shed, safe from the elements. The tractor had been moved into the garage. The barn was properly locked. Even the animals were calm. All was well.

The farmer then understood the meaning of the young man's words, "I can sleep when the wind blows." Because the farmhand did his work loyally and faithfully when the skies were clear, he was prepared for the storm when it broke. So when the wind blew, he was not afraid. He could sleep in peace.

How does this apply to our lives? The story about the young farmhand illustrates a principle that is often overlooked about being prepared for various events that occur in life. There was nothing dramatic or sensational in the young farmhand's preparations he just faithfully did what was needed each day. Consequently, peace was his, even in a storm. A short poem expresses this principle as it pertains to your life.

It isn't the things you do,

It's the things you leave undone,

Which gives you a bit of heartache,

At the setting of the sun.

What are you leaving undone?

Baden Powell back in the day was asked “Be Prepared… for what?” His reply was, “For any old thing.” Let us continue to prepare ourselves for any old thing. So when our own storms hit through our life, we can also sleep when the wind blows knowing that we have done our best and all is well.