The Rain

[Rattan...THE DECENT]

She had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6
years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of
innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over
the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no
time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and
just inside the door of the Wal-Mart. We waited, some patiently,
others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am
always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of
the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories were
a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.



Her voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all
caught in, "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said. "What?" Mom
asked. "Let's run through the rain!" She repeated. "No, honey. We'll
wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied. This young child waited
about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain."
"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said. "No, we won't, Mom. That's not
what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her
Mom's arm.

"This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not
get wet?" "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about
his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us
through anything!" The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you
couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one
came or left in the next few minutes.

Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some
would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even
ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young
child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it
will bloom into faith. "Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run
through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed
washing," Mom said. Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling
and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the
puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case.
They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and
laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I
ran. I got wet. I needed washing.



Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they
can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no
one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to
make time and take the opportunities to make memories every day. To
everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under
heaven.









Happy Reading!