The train rumbled along a stretch of track heading north from Fargo to Grand Forks, North Dakota. The overhead lights were turned down low and the train car quiet. My husband and I were headed to Montana for a mission trip sponsored by our church.
My eyes fell shut, but after endless shifting to find a comfortable position, I could not fall back asleep. The coach seats and my tall frame didn’t afford me the luxury of more sleep.
(The silver lining: Train seats afford much more legroom than airplane seats, so at least I wasn’t shoved into a tiny space, knees crunched to my chest!)
So, at last, at four in the morning, I stared out the window and saw flashes of lightning on the horizon. I decided to escape to the lounge care.
My only obstacle: passing by my sleeping husband without waking him. Did I crawl under or over his legs? Either way I risked jarring him awake. Over his legs seemed the more dangerous option because I could easily (and probably would) tumble over (or kick or elbow) him, so I crawled into the aisle (without jarring him!) and walked to the lounge car with its wide windows and scenic views.
To the east, the sunrise painted a blaze of red across the horizon. To the west, lightning flashed and dark clouds brewed.
That day, I witnessed two spectacular displays of nature, both created by God. This scene makes me think of Psalm 103:12:
As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
—Psalm 103:12 (ESV)
