Dear Rain,
I have a confession. I used to kind of hate you. I used to feel incredibly annoyed nearly every time you started pouring down.
You always had a way of interfering with important events in my life. You always had a way of messing up my already difficult hair.
I used to feel that you hated me right back. You always had a way of pouring down during the best and the worst days of my life.
When I went through losses…..when I had job interviews…..when I needed to walk clear across campus without an umbrella….when I had to drive 450 miles in rush hour…..there you were.
When I planned (and then had to cancel) my first ever beach trip as an adult….AND every time I sat up for a yard sale……there you were.
You never really seemed to come visit me when I was laying home in bed snuggled under my covers. I mean, of course you did sometimes, but during my all important events, that was always your favorite time to check in.
It didn’t matter if it was April, July or November….there you were.
When I had just endured a breakup, when I had a flat tire, when my master cylinder went completely out while driving, when I was doing door to door sales all by myself without a car close by, when I would go on 5 mile walks, when I had a modeling shoot, and when I was having the saddest day of my life….there you were.
It didn’t matter if the sun was shining when I left or if the forecast had predicted you….there you were.
Frankly, it always kind of felt like insult to injury. I was already going through hard times in my life. I was chasing dreams, working multiple jobs and going through trials in nearly every area of my life…..but there you were.
I can recall one time (nearly a decade ago), I was home for a short break with family in Ohio. You arrived just before I was set to head back to TN. Because of you, I realized my tires had suddenly gotten really bad while driving through my hometown.
I slid through a stop light and went to the only tire shop open on that holiday. They replaced my tires before that 450 mile drive.
I decided for five minutes that you just might have been my friend that day, because it was certainly better to realize my tire’s poor condition then, than in the midst of busy interstate traffic.
Still, life was hard, and you just kept pouring down on my drive back. Why couldn’t you ever let me have one long drive without being so dramatic?
That day on the way back, I prayed, “Lord, in life, please help me to see the rainbow after the rain.”
Would you know that just minutes later (maybe even just a minute), a gorgeous full rainbow appeared in the sky?
It was beautiful, and I knew right then that God was with me.
Though that day was incredibly special, I still didn’t want to give you too much credit, rain. You would inconvenience me again very soon.
I was right.
You continued to visit me during nearly every important life event following that day. You messed up my hair, you made my makeup run down my face….and none of my umbrellas could withstand you.
And here’s the kicker? You decided to even come visit me on my engagement day!
My engagement day was CHRISTMAS EVE! I mean, seriously? Christmas Eve is supposed to bring snow….NOT rain….but there you were.
My fiance had scheduled a photo shoot for us on East Street Bridge that morning….but you just had to pour down. Just to avoid you, we went inside Union Station Hotel for the photo shoot instead. You made it in some of our pictures outside, but it’s not because I liked you or anything.
The photo shoot turned out absolutely beautiful, but I wasn’t going to give you any credit for that, rain.
How dare you try to interfere!? What was next? My actual wedding day?
Anyways, my new fiance and I drove back to his hometown to celebrate our engagement with his family…..as you continued to pour while he drove.
Then came time to plan my wedding. I chose August for various reasons, but I hoped one of them was to avoid you. August is usually a dry month after all. You had interfered with too many happy times in my life, and you certainly weren’t going to interfere with the day a little girl dreams of her whole life.
I refused to book at any place that didn’t offer a completely indoor reception, just because of the heat and my previous relationship with you.
I did decide to tentatively book an outdoor ceremony (knowing it will only take about 15 minutes), but not without being assured I had a plan B and C.
Oh rain….don’t you dare.
Coming from a family of farmers and knowing droughts in general are not a good thing, I always had to appreciate you for that much. And of course for the prevention of wild fires. But just that much. I couldn’t ever find much else to thank you for, however. You never could water the crops when I was simply inside in my pajamas it seemed.
All through my early wedding planning, I found myself wishing against you.
But then a funny thing happened….
It was inauguration day for President Trump, and when he came to the platform to start his speech, you showed up.
Donald and I must have something in common, huh? What’s your deal, rain? Can’t a guy get inaugurated for the most important job in the country without you coming to interfere?
Well, Evangelist Franklin Graham came to the platform and said something I didn’t expect him to say: “Mr. President, in the bible, rain, is a sign of God’s blessing….and it started to rain Mr. President as you came to the platform.”
Say WHAT!? You are a sign of God’s blessing?
I had NEVER thought of you as a blessing. I’ve been in church my whole life and somehow missed that whole concept. It’s true though. Ezekiel 34:26 says, “And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.”
What’s more? Rain is mentioned in at least 58 verses in the Bible. Rain is actually very significant to God.
I guess this means I was kind of wrong about you. Yes, you sometimes slow up traffic and make my day more difficult, but I really should have given you more credit. I will from this day forward. I just have one favor though: If you do decide to show up on my wedding day, can you please show up right after the ceremony when we’re all inside for the reception?
Sincerely,
Learning to like you.
*******************
How often do we do this, friends? How often do we just find the cursing instead of the blessing in the things around us?
How often are things not quite as they appear or seem? How often do we misjudge a situation? Pretty often in this girl’s world.
See, God has used rain to teach me something: My perspective and perception is often incorrect. When I feel God has left me, he’s closer to me than ever before. When I feel the rain pouring down on me, I’m actually growing. Nothing grows in a drought. He was with me every step of the journey every day, even when it seemed dark and gloomy. He was pouring his blessings on me, and I didn’t even know it. Some of these big rains were even necessary to bring me to today. They’ve made me stronger, more compassionate and better in many ways.
While I waited in the rain, I found true faith, growth, dreams, accomplishments and the right people.
Yes……I was being showered with God’s blessings, but up until recently, all I could see was wet frizzy hair, tired eyes and MY ruined plans.
God has a sense of humor. If he can speak to Moses through a burning bush….he can certainly speak to this girl through rain. He can speak to you too. Just be willing to listen and willing to dance in the rain.
