BY PASTOR MARK HOPPER
Pastor Mark Hopper
When people ask me about the weather in California, I usually try to explain it like this. It is a contest between the desert and the ocean. The hot dry winds push in from the north and east, and the cool ocean breezes push back from the south and west.
We are caught in a tug-of-war between these two imposing forces. Fortunately, the ocean usually dominates our weather and as a result we get morning fog and cool afternoon breezes.
But when the hot, dry Santa Ana winds prevail and the heat builds up, the air conditioning bills skyrocket. We all felt the effects of the heat during the past few weeks. And, we will see the increased electric bills in another few weeks.
My wife and I grew up in Arizona. The past few days felt like we were back in Arizona. The days were really hot and the evenings provided little relief. Everyone you talked to would comment about the heat. In the Phoenix area it is not uncommon to have over 100 days a year that are over 100 degrees. The low temperature at night often does not get below 90 degrees. It stays hot all summer.
There are a lot of things that I do miss about Arizona, but one thing I do not miss is the long, hot summer.
I heard the story of a pastor who was asked to help start a new church in Arizona. After thinking about the invitation for a while, he replied, “There are three reasons that I think that God does not want me to move to Arizona…June, July and August!”
Someone said that God uses adversity and discomfort to get our attention. The hot, dry weather we have experienced certainly got our attention. It reminds us of how we expect comfort and convenience. It reminds us of how fortunate we are to have air-conditioned homes and cars, offices and classrooms.
I hope that the weather is a little cooler by the time you are reading this article. Let me encourage you to be thankful for the comforts you enjoy and don’t complain when the weather warms up for a few days. Just remember, you could be living in Arizona!
Pastor Mark Hopper is from the Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar, 3255 South Diamond Bar Ave. Sunday services are 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. For more information, call (909) 594-7604 or visit http://www.efreedb.org.
