Dilemma

Today I brought Sosha (daughter, 14) to school. She is recovering from a broken leg and is not able to bike or walk, of course. On my way back home I saw another girl, about the same age, standing next to her bicycle in the pouring rain. We live in a flat area (polder / reclaimed land) and the wind can be very fierce.
I stopped and asked this girl if she needed help. She looked cold and wet and told me that she had to go to her school in Nieuw Vennep, which is a distance of approx. 5 kilometers. I was hesitating. I wanted to help this girl and give her (and her bike) a ride to school, but at the same time I knew that I wouldn't approve when one of my own daugthers accepted this kind of help from a total stranger. I told her that she could make a phone call and ask for permission from her parents, but she had no cell phone on her and didn't want to use mine. I told her that I was willing to help, but that she had to make her own decision about it. She accepted my help and was happy that she arrived a bit earlier, dry and warm at school today!
Still, I don't know if I did the right thing... and I hate the fact that I even have to think about this. Because only a couple of people can't be trusted, it is getting hard to be kind to a girl that needs help. Any thoughts on this? Let me know.

My rain picture on website national TV!

It rained today. And it rained a lot! I took this picture out of my office window and uploaded it on a website of our national TV-station (NOS) where people from all over the country can place their weather pictures. Some time later I received an e-mail from an editor informing me that she had used my picture on the news front page and their weather report page. How cool is that? Ha, ha.
PS Update August 8 - The pictures are already gone... :-( That's what happens with yesterday's news. But I did make this screen dump...

Hottest April in the Netherlands on record

May 4 and it is still dry and sunny in the Netherlands. We haven't had rain since March 22. We are all enjoying the beautiful weather right now and they do expect some rain next week, but with average temperatures 5 degrees Celsius higher than normal during this time of the year, it looks like we are already facing some signs of the Inconvenient Truth. What do you think? (Prayers for rain in Italy)

"Global warming has increased the probability of an extremely warm April as the one we observed in 2007. However, on top of this it still was a highly unlikely event, with an estimated return time of more than 200 years. The record warm, dry and sunny weather was caused by a persistent high pressure system over our part of Europe." Source

After the storm - silence

Yesterday our part of the world was hit by heavy winds and rain. In our little country alone, 5 people died because of fallen trees. In this context it is strange to admit that I actually like to go through a period of rough weather myself. Of course I don't enjoy the dangerous situations and the accidents that happen to people, but I do welcome the change of atmosphere, the strong winds and the fresh showers.

Today it is quiet again. Somebody just shared her sad story with me. I don't know what to say. All her unnecessary pain and needless sorrows - it all just doesn't make any sense to me. Lord, why do you allow these things to happen?

After praying about this, I had to think about Elijah's encounter with the Lord on mount Horeb. Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed by the forces of nature and by life's circumstances. We can be frightened, we can be thrilled, we can be excited and we can be humbled by the same experiences. Sometimes our world suddenly becomes a lonely, dangerous place to live in. As a believer, I ask myself whether God is talking to us - to me - through these circumstances and experiences. Please read this quotation from the first book of Kings and feel free to leave a comment. I'd like to know your thoughts.

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:11-12

I enjoy the quiet times after the storm. I want to listen to the gentle whisper and recognize God's still, small voice. He is mighty and awesome, I feel so weak and vulnerable. I think about the climate changes, the ongoing wars, the suffering of people I don't know and of people I love. Are you speaking to me, dear God? Am I looking for you in the fire, earthquakes and storms, only to find that you are right here - in the stillness of my heart?