"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." Hosea 6:3
My husband signed us up for a 5K walk, and the company picnic to follow. Normally, I look forward to this event with enthusiasm, as they provide so many fun, free activities for the kids that we always have a wonderful time.
Yesterday, however, we left the house to travel to the walk and picnic in the pouring rain. The kids were in a good mood, and my husband was adamant that we actually attend in the rain. Despite my own miserable feelings of uncertainty, and foreseeing that our 2-year-old and 3-year-old little boys, let alone our 6-year-old daughter, would not be able to complete the walk in the rain, I reluctantly agreed to attempt the walk.
The boys splashed in the puddles, and our two-year-old was completely soaked from head-to-toe before the walk began. When the air horn signaled the official start of the walk, my three-year-old was pulling the wagon, my husband and our daughter took off ahead of us with the empty stroller.
This left mom, and her two toddler boys splashing in the rain puddles, as the rain poured down.
Okay - I hate to be wet! But, watching my boys splash, and laugh, and smile in the rain and puddles was actually fun. They were having the time of their lives.
I had resigned to the fact that we were not going to walk the 5K distance, but stay in the parking lot and splash and have fun. My three-year-old, however, had decided to follow the crowd and walk, pulling the wagon, behind him in the rain, while the 2-year-old continued to get even more drenched in the puddles.
I tried to convince the two-year-old that there were more puddles over by his brother - and I couldn't leave him behind. I also could not let the three-year-old go on by himself...and daddy was nowhere to be seen. I asked the baby to ride in the wagon his brother was pulling, but NO, he wanted to be carried.
Finally I started praying...as I saw my shivering little two-year-old crying over 50 yards away from me, while my 3-year-old yelled for us to catch up, with a smile on his face.
I had to pick up the sweet, little shivering bundle out of his puddle, and carry him to where his daddy and sister had completed half of the 5K distance and were waiting for us. He continued to cry as I strapped him into the stroller his daddy was pushing. I couldn't carry him any more, but I didn't want to listen to him cry, either. He cried, no matter what.
We quit walking and found a bathroom, where we stood under hot-air heaters in an attempt to dry off.
The Good Lord has blessed us with the rain, and children who can enjoy it. I had to adjust my attitude to make the best of the bad, cold, wet, rainy situation.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for my wonderfully resilient children. Thank you for my husband, who has pushed me beyond my comfort zones to experience the puddles and joys of my young boys! I was wet, and not having fun, but my children learned some good lessons. Thank you, Lord, for teaching me that despite the physical discomfort the rain may bring, I can always make the best of all situations just by looking to You!
I was not Noah, needing to build an ark. I was looking to You, Lord, as you were prepared before my morning to provide me with the insight that my children and I can enjoy even the shivering, wet mess of the pouring rain.
Amen
So true:) ((hugs))
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