I woke up this morning to grey, gloomy skies, full of the promise of rain. I don’t think I ever hated the sound of my alarm more. It was the perfect morning to stay inside, snuggly and relaxed with a new book. But I had to go to work because such is life. I got ready and made sure to grab my tiny, zig-zag designed umbrella before stepping outside. By this point, it was downpouring so I braced myself for the onslaught and fought the pelting barrage of droplets all the way to my car as I tried to somehow maintain dry hair while I juggled my purse, umbrella, coffee mug, and keys. I was not enjoying any bit of that rain, let me tell you.
Once I was in my car, I could hear the sound of the raindrops on the roof of my car – that mesmerizing, comforting, firm and steady beating of thousands of drops hitting mere inches above my head. I sloshed my car through the giant puddles in the parking lot, spewing walls of water way higher than the height of my Cobalt, and feeling that strange satisfaction that comes after creating such a huge splash. (I don’t care who you are, driving through gigantic puddles and creating sheets of water that fly high in the air is going to make you smile, even if it’s only on the inside.) I was laughing out loud because it’s just that much fun to me. Good tunes were on the radio and I was able to see fields full of puddles, long fingers of water between each row of soybeans, rain running off the ground as it had reached its fill. The earth’s cup was overflowing and it was beautiful.
I’d been waiting and praying for rainy days like this! It has been a crazy dry summer here and the downpour was long-awaited and welcomed.
But. What had happened to me earlier this morning? When I woke up and wanted to stay home? When I fretted about the possibility of my hair getting wet? When I was miffed about my foot getting soaked due to the small hole in the bottom of my right dress shoe?
I think sometimes we overlook the very blessings we have been waiting, hoping, and praying for. We look the gift horse in the mouth, so to speak, and don’t just revel in the fact that a gift was given in the first place. We focus on any bit of negative instead of the immensity of positive. Instead of being grateful that I have a good job to head off to today, I was grumbling to myself about having to leave my cozy apartment. If I hadn’t left, though, I couldn’t have seen the rain nourishing the fields, trees and earth all around during my commute to work. I wouldn’t have heard the sound of rain on my car roof, or paced the steady accumulation of water on my windshield and it’s clean removal with each swipe of the wiper blades. I would have missed the feeling of cool, fresh rainwater on my foot. I forgot that rain replenishes us all and I was certainly in need of the reminder.
When I got to work, I had been reflecting on these thoughts and realizing that I had unfortunately missed out while getting ready this morning. Instead of enjoying an anticipation, looking forward to the sound of the rain on my roof and sloshing water around like a huge tanker, I had instead allowed myself to experience the feeling of dread. The dread of going to work and the dread of getting wet. I lost out on that excitement ahead of time which those fat, dark rainclouds always offer before heavy showers.
Fortunately, I did end up appreciating many of those little joys of rain. Even after I got to work, I spent a few extra minutes sitting in my car in the parking lot, just to enjoy it all a little longer. The rain was coming down hard, rivers were streaming down the street, heading to the drainage systems and then continuing their journey to who knows where. Raindrops were bouncing and dancing off of the hard pavement of the parking lot, creating a thin layer of beautifully patterned mist all around, almost as if I had parked on a cloud. When I got out, I enjoyed having to jump over the puddles and streams in the parking lot and street. My foot got wet again but this time it served as a reminder that God was faithful in sending us the rain we so desperately needed.
I hope that, over time, I can more readily, happily, and thankfully receive God’s blessings. I hope my eyes are opened more and more to the showers of gifts He sends each and every moment.
The floodgates ARE open! Are you hiding under your umbrella, all crotchety and grumbling at the water in your shoe? Or are you looking up, reaching with arms wide open, to receive all the good things the Lord is raining down on you?
James 1:17, HLC
sacred strokes 