Thanks be to tailwinds.

For several years I've been riding bikes to and from school with my children.  In those years, I have noticed an interesting trend.  On the way to school, a tailwind urges us along, making the 7 minute ride almost effortless.  Not surprisingly, none of us even notices the tailwind.  Except me, for I get the pleasure of riding back home into a headwind while the girls skip away blissfully unaware of the help they had on their commute to school.

Sometime during the day, the wind shifts.  Most would scarcely notice it, but I do as I ride into a headwind, my quads working hard so that I can be there to greet the girls at school when they get out.  Once again, they enjoy the luxury of a tailwind on the ride back home, easing the drudgery that would otherwise be.

I can't help but see the parallel to God's influence in our lives.  Like the tailwind, His guiding hand urges us along our path, easing the way as we navigate the challenges we face.  Much of what he does is unbeknownst to us.  It is only when we try to navigate our way into a headwind that we understand just how much we benefit from his help.  I hope to acknowledge His hand more often and show gratitude for the small but significant ways I am blessed by my Father in Heaven.