The Flint Weather Ball and the Word of God - A Memory of Faith and Forecasts

Focus Scripture

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." — Hebrews 13:8

Thoughts

As a child growing up in Flint, Michigan, few sights filled me with as much wonder as the Weather Ball. Towering above downtown on the Citizens Bank building, glowing in vibrant hues — red, blue, green, and blinking white — it told us what tomorrow might bring. My Grandma Klein used to say, “Pay attention to the Weather Ball. It never lies!” Then she’d smile and repeat the rhyme every Flint kid knew by heart:

"When the weather ball is red, Warm temperatures are ahead. When the weather ball is blue, Cold temperatures are due. When yellow the weather ball, The weather changes not at all. When blinks the weather ball, Precipitation will fall."

Those moments with her, my parents, and my brother, maybe after visiting Smith-Bridgman, are etched in my heart. Especially during winter nights, when the city was lit up and shopping downtown was still a thing — we'd see the Weather Ball shining above the skyline like a lighthouse in a sea of holiday lights and snow.

Back then, I didn’t think much about it. But now, with years behind me and more understanding in my heart, I see how the Weather Ball was more than just a forecast. It was a symbol, kind of steady witness, much like God's Word, always visible, always true, pointing us to what’s coming next.

The world is unpredictable. Just like Michigan weather, life changes in an instant. One moment the sun is shining, the next we’re bracing for snow. But just as the Weather Ball gave us a hint of what tomorrow held, Scripture gives us something far greater, the promise that no matter what changes, Jesus stays the same.

My Grandma Klein, with her faith and wisdom, always reminded me of that. “Teddy,” she’d say, “God’s already in tomorrow. The Weather Ball tells you the forecast, but Jesus holds the whole sky.” I did not realize the connection, at the time, but my dad and me would both serve in the United States Air Force as "Weather Observers" and/or "Weather Forecasters"...honored!

That kind of faith, a faith rooted in something unchanging is the anchor we need in a world full of flashing signs and uncertain seasons.

Life Application

Trust in God's consistency. When your life feels like it’s blinking red or blue, when change is coming, or you’re in the middle of a storm, cling to the unchanging truth of Jesus.

Be a light for others. Just as the Weather Ball lit up downtown, our lives can shine steady hope into others' lives. Grandma Klein didn’t just tell me about the weather, she reminded me of God’s faithfulness with every word and every act of love, in her own way. Those that knew her understand. She was tough and spirited but you always knew you were loved, as family meant everything to her. Something I did not fully appreciate at the time. Especially her amazing laugh that filled the room.

Remember the past, but live forward. Cherish those memories, the walks, the lights, the stories and let them fuel a present-day faith that’s just as vivid and alive.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the memories that remind us of Your faithfulness — for glowing lights, for voices like Grandma Klein’s, and for the small things that point to bigger truths. In the shifting seasons of our lives, help us to remember that You are steady. You never change. Let us be lights for others, just like that Weather Ball once was for a city. Teach us to trust You with every forecast — sun, snow, or storm — because You hold the future, and You hold us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Final Thought

Next time you pass by downtown Flint and remember the old Weather Ball; let it remind you that while the world turns and seasons shift, Jesus stays the same. And that’s the best forecast of all.

The "Weather Ball" on the roof of Citizens Bank in Flint, Michigan.