 |
|
|
It came to me recently that we, as God’s children, complain and murmur a lot, most especially over things we can not control.
We complain when it’s raining,
and we complain when it’s not.
We complain when it’s cold,
and we complain when it’s hot.
We complain when it’s summer,
we complain when it’s fall.
Cheeks burn in disgrace;
I’m the biggest complainer of all.
Puddles of Blessing
By: Mary Elder-Criss
“I am so sick of rain,” I mutter in disgust, as I turn away from the kitchen window, and its depressing view. Slumping at the kitchen table, I take a long drink from my ever-present cup of coffee and sigh.
“Well, without the rain, your flowers wouldn’t grow, Mom,” my daughter Emily interjected.
“They aren’t going to grow in the middle of this monsoon, either. I’ll be lucky if it hasn’t rotted my tulip bulbs again. Plus, we have all those errands to run this afternoon, which means we’ll most likely end up looking like drowned rats before the day is over. It also means muddy paw prints from Sadie all over the house, and to top it all off, the lake will reappear in the front yard where your dad has still not managed to build it up with fill dirt like I have asked him to do for the last three months. It also means your sister will be whiny all day long because she can’t go outside and play.”
“Can you think of anything else, Mom?” my daughter giggles.
Looking at her wryly, I respond, “Most likely, if you give me a minute or two.”
Needless to say, I am not a big fan of rain. Every once in a while, it is acceptable. If it rains just enough to make the flowers and vegetables grow, so I do not have to carry water to them, I’m happy, but a whole month of steady rain is enough to make me a little crazy. Too much of a good thing is not a good thing any longer.
I guess that is why God allows desert seasons in our life, as well of seasons of refreshing. Too much sun, we wither, too many clouds, we lose sight of Him. In His Wisdom, He maintains just the correct balance of good times and bad, blessings, and tribulations.
Right now, my family is walking in a shower of blessings, and I have to admit, this is one downpour I am enjoying. Part of me, however, is waiting and watching for the time when the rain will stop falling, and for the sun to beat down again relentlessly. That might be labeled as a pessimistic view by some, but I choose to label it as realistic.
In Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, we are told that there is a season to everything, a time for every purpose under heaven. Just as I am helpless to control the weather, I am also helpless to control the seasons of my life. However, I know that in God’s plan, there is a reason, a purpose behind every forecast.
Although a little weary of the physical rain that is falling, I think I will embrace the spiritual. Remembering the good times helps one sustain their faith during the periods when there seems to be no relief from the sun, and its relentless heat. Perhaps today, instead of complaining, I will simply enjoy the showers, grab my galoshes, and go jump in the puddles of blessings.
September 2004
|
|
|
