The rain falls in our lives. It has. It will. It comes in downpours… steady rain… mist… storms. Sometimes you can see the clouds on the horizon heading your way. Maybe you close the windows, fix a hot cup of soup and get prepared to sit by the window and watch it… you try to keep it out of your house. But, there are times when the storm is too strong, or it comes up too fast and unexpectedly. Those are the times that test you strength… your inner strength. Oh how you yearn for the warm cup of soup and the comfortable chair by the window.
The rain comes from above. It falls on the earth around us and it creates new growth. But, before the new growth there is mud. We all handle the mud differently. Chances are we will leave some muddy footprints in our lives. We look back at them… remembering… lamenting. I should have done this… or I should have done that. Maybe those footprints are there to remind us how few times it rains in our lives.
Look back. How many muddy footprints do you see? Really messy ones…
If you don’t have those footprints… if it hasn’t rained in your life, then maybe you are missing out on a blessing. If you haven’t had adversity, the little things in life have become your adversity. You may forever struggle for the perfect life… you will not attain it… it is not here.
When the rain falls… If you are not close to God, maybe then… you will… in a time of need find Him and new life. If you do know God, then you only have to remember that another has gone before you… but on the cross. At that time, it would have been hard to see the Cross as a blessing, as it was obscured by despair and pain.
We are all afraid of being caught in the rain… Waiting for the other shoe to fall... the unknown... Pray that we find peace in the wait, peace in knowing that He is there for us now. The rain, the mud, the adversity brings us to our knees and closer to God… But, we don’t have to wait for the rain.
On earth… in the end… for us… there will be rain. It may be a quick shower or a long storm, but we will have rain. There will be no muddy footprints for the one that leaves… only for those that are left standing there. So hard, so painful… you only have to look up and feel the rain running down your face… and you know… you are blessed by the closeness you had to God when you were in the rain.
Imagine a child standing in the rain for the first time. Holding her hand out flat, feeling the cool rain for the first time. Hair wet, and sticking to her face. Clothes all wet, and clinging to her body. Standing barefoot with mud oozing between her toes. Smiling. Laughing. Looking up at Heaven and letting the rain run down her face. So close to God. We were all like that once...
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5 comments:
Oh... and watch out for the devilish looking guy with the lightening.
Lots of muddy footprints where I have been... You have a good perspective, as usual, Dad. :-)
Joe,
How beautifully stated! I read this entry to Steve and with tears rolling down my face. It was at times hard to get the words out of my mouth because they touched so close to our heart.
As we stand with mud oozing between our toes it's nice to be able to look to heaven and know that God brings growth and beauty with the rain.
Thank you Joe, for the gift of your words.
Janet,
You are kind. I struggle to write, but it helps me think and reason things out.
I wrote that post a while back. I wrote it to send to a young person who is suffering, but I couldn't send it out. I felt like I might be interfering. I hope it helps someone.
Another beautiful piece of writing. Hope you are keeping copies of all these somewhere. You need to make a "book" for your grandchildren, who are too young to be reading your blog, but who would love to your words when they are your age someday! I'm looking forward to more!
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