Yesterday morning I posted my charming and oh so spiritual post about how much I was loving the rain. I'm sure you read it and immediately sat down to count your many blessings and sing praises to the Lord. Well, I can always imagine that's what my readers do. If by some odd chance you didn't read it, you can go here and read it and I'll meet you back here in a few minutes. Just kidding, no need to do that (unless you want to of course).
At any rate I poetically and persuasively explained how wonderful the rain here in Arizona was yesterday. And indeed it did rain most all day, something I have not witnessed once since I moved here 4 1/2 years ago I believe. And I do love a good rainy day.
So as I headed out in it yesterday morning I was humming Eddie Rabbit's I Love a Rainy Night in my head, except I was changing the words to "I love a rainy day" of course. I managed to locate my windshield wipers just fine, thank you very much, and they worked great.
I drove through the steady rain toward my church for Bible study and enjoyed the sloshing noises of the tires driving through the puddles and the steady beat of my wipers which were, by this time, swiping my windshield in rhythm with Eddie and me. I pulled into the parking lot and remembered that I would have to park far from the building because our church school was in session and most of the up-front parking spaces are blocked off at that time of day. No problem, I'd already located my lovely black and white paisley umbrella between the front seats of my van. It was neatly folded from the last time it had been used in 2008.
I gathered up my things, ready to step into the chilling rain, which was now pouring down much faster than Eddie or I could sing.
I pushed the convenient little button on my umbrella that opens it all the way with ...one... little... movement and....
this was as far as my darling little umbrella would go.
I tried and tried to get that thing to open, still humming and still loving my rainy day. But after I'd wrestled it to the ground and thrown it with disgust into the back of my van, I was no longer humming and I wasn't sure I was liking me a rainy day anymore!
I could almost hear a voice in my head (I'm not quite sure whose it was...) asking me, "You still think the rain is a blessing Kay? You still love the rainy day? Remember all that stuff you wrote 30 minutes ago in your blog? All still true?"
I had a choice to make and I'd like to say I made it cheerfully like I'm sure Mary Poppins would have. But I made my choice with much determination and at least a teaspoon of pride, no sugar. Yes, I would get out of my car with my sprayed hair, leather purse, leather boots, and leather briefcase and walk through the pouring rain to the church door and LOVE... EVERY... MINUTE... OF IT, BY GOLLY!
And so I did.
I had a little attitude adjustment as I ran through the rain and by the time I got inside I was laughing at the situation instead of scowling, thank God. Fortunately my hair still looked ok, something to do with the kind of hairspray I'd used I'm sure. And everything else dried out eventually too. When class was over I had to walk out in the rain again, but this time I was prepared. No, I still didn't have an umbrella, but I was loving me some rainy day again, and Eddie and I started singing as soon as the windshield wipers set the rhythm.
Sometimes we just have to do what is right even when the feelings aren't quite there. Then hopefully, usually, the feelings come along later. They almost always do. That's how obedience works. You decide to put one foot in front of the other and before you know it you're skipping through the rain with laughter instead of stomping through it with disdain. Well, that image may be a little too much for you. It's a little too much for me too. But you get the point.
Rained on your parade lately? I'd love to hear about how you handle life's little disappointments, how you manage to do the right thing even when it means your hair is going to get wet in the process.
Oh, and today we get another great blessing here in Arizona. One of those lovely sunny days that follows a rainy day, full of crisp, cool air and bright blue skies. Praise the Lord, I won't need that dastardly umbrella!
Kay
