The Privileged Life: If You’re Feeling a Bit Foggy…

“Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; nor can the number of His years be discovered. For He draws up drops of water, which distill as rain from the mist….” (Job 36:26-27)

Folks who’ve grown up in the deep recesses of Appalachia have distinctive phrases and assertions, especially when it comes to making winter weather predictions.

A family friend who lived way up in the mountains would describe certain cloud formations as “snow blossoms” for an upcoming blizzard, and he was probably right.

When the black-and-brown wooly worm caterpillars start roaming in large numbers in early autumn, locals evaluate the sizes/numbers of fuzzy bands on them, to determine how bad the winter will be. There’s an annual “Wooly Worm Festival” not far from us, in Banner Elk, N.C., in October. Bring your own wooly worm to vie for prizes in a race against about a thousand other worms…and for the honor of forecasting the upcoming winter’s intensity.¹

Another common predictor is the number of fogs in August, indicating the number of big snows of the coming season. The Farmers’ Almanac covers this folklore-based forecast along with other predictions based on August weather.²

Today, on the first day of August, we’ve experienced a fairly thick fog around our Appalachian hills. (I’m going to start charting fogs for the rest of the month on our calendar, to see if this prognostication is trustworthy.)

These early morning fogs cloak the trees, mountains, and lakes in a shroud of mystery. The Great Smoky Mountains just down the range from us are so named for the watery mists that linger around them, taking on a spooky atmosphere at dusk. It’s refreshing to walk through the cooling droplets that collect on your skin.

When “foggy” describes your mind or vision, however, that’s another story. Two bouts of Covid (followed by the flu) temporarily sent me into a mental muddle…and I’m not sure I’m over it yet! Sometimes my thoughts are as fuzzy as a wooly worm, but I can usually clear them up with a stiff jolt of caffeinated hot tea….

A bigger culprit for brain fog is the disturbing amount of information we are called to absorb every day through the media, our careers, and life challenges. Videos and motion pictures cloud our minds with millions of images, much of which our brains retain…even if we wish we could forget them. Conflicts grasp hold of our thoughts and won’t release them until we identify solutions. Sins bog us down.

*The fog can get very thick in the valleys around here….*

The apostle Paul, while still going under his original name of Saul, was struck with fogged vision during his blinding-light encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. For three days, Paul couldn’t see anything, until a disciple named Ananias came and laid hands upon him in the name of Christ, restoring his sight (Acts 9:1-19). Diminished eyesight may have continued to plague Paul in later life, if this indeed was the “thorn in the flesh” that troubled him (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

When our brains and eyesight are clouded, our view of God is obstructed. We fail to see His light shining. That’s one of the quirks of a fog—while we can’t see anything beyond a few feet, brilliant sunshine often still exists just above the ground cover.

Is something clouding your heart today? Are you surrounded by mists of fears, doubt, guilt, despair? Do problems seem to mount up like an oppressive blanket that suffocates your thoughts and view? Does God seem out of sight? How do you emerge from it?

Take heart, friend. We have wonderful promises from God, even when we don’t see the light of His presence. Paul encourages us in 1 Corinthians 13:12 with this assurance: “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” Whatever is hidden from us now, especially in knowing God, will be revealed to us when we arrive in heaven.

In the meantime, if you’re coping with brain fog or overwhelming anxiety, you have the opportunity to simply wait. Just as the sun burns off early morning fogs, He can lift the mists from our hearts, shining His light and wisdom into our darkness. Be patient. Trust His timing.

*The same God who created spiders, capable of spinning this intricate foggy-morning web, also made you*…*He is able to create beauty out of mists.*

Let His commandment comfort you—to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known” to Him. And His peace “which surpasses all understanding” will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

Foggy mornings are part of His beautiful plan…and they will evaporate in the light of His glory.

Our Father, Creator of all things including fogs, help me to be patient in the midst of mists. Calm my heart, refresh my soul, and let these moments remind me of your faithfulness. Give me Your peace that passes all understanding and guard my heart. Let Your blessed light flood my heart with Your joy when the fog has passed. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

#fog #brainfog #foggymountainbreakdown #greatsmokymountains #thesmokies #augustfogs #wintersnows #woolyworms #winterweatherpredictions

¹Look here for Wooly Worm Festival details and an explanation of band-color forecasts: https://averycounty.com/chamber-events/annual-woolly-worm-festival/

²https://www.farmersalmanac.com/like-snow-count-the-number-of-fogs-9697

To learn more about the grace of Jesus Christ, go to this page: https://lightbournecreative.com/good-news-for-you/