I looked out of the window. ‘It’s raining!’ I called. Strangely, the news wasn’t greeted with either surprise or enthusiasm.
It’s rained a lot these last few months.
The effects have been interesting. Our lawn is wonderfully green. It’s also quite long. The grass loves all this rain and it’s been growing like crazy. Unfortunately, whenever I’m free to mow it, the rain falls again. But it does look lovely. The rest of the garden is pretty good too. I guess it really does appreciate rain.
There are some aspects of life in the garden that are less welcome, however. All this moisture has encouraged the greatest invasion of molluscs I can ever remember experiencing. Both slugs and snails, but especially snails have totally invaded our garden and, every evening, they head towards the driveway and the house. We feel besieged. They come by the several dozen, slowly (can snails travel any other way?) working their way from the flower bed to the door. Crossing that area of pathway late in the evening requires great care and agility, if you’re to avoid feeling a nasty scrunch-shlurp under your foot.
Rain has seemed like a curse this year, not because we’ve been flooded or threatened with drowning, but because it has interrupted the hoped-for sunshine. I remember how summer used to be – there’s a special place in my memory for those things of childhood that are only partially remembered but which appear to be complete. Summer is one of those memories. I don’t remember summer rain nor high winds (surely they did really happen?) but I do remember plenty of summer sunshine. It seemed to last all season. Not so this year!
Of course, it really isn’t a curse; it’s a blessing, as my garden reminds me every day.
As I’ve read my Bible this summer, I’ve noticed lots of references to rain. Mostly, they speak of blessing. When the rain falls, the crops can grow and everyone is happy. When the rains do not come, the crops fail. It’s a simple equation but essential for life. God’s blessings are described as falling down from Heaven like rain. A light shower signifies a little blessing; a torrential downpour is like a huge touch from God that is so overwhelming, it is life-changing.
This year, the weather presenters have taught me a new expression: they have often talked about ‘pulses of rain’. These seem to be very heavy showers. They can appear with little warning and attack with some ferocity. It set me wondering about ‘pulses’ of God’s blessing. Does God sometimes bless with almost no warning? In my experience, yes, often. Perhaps it’s because we’re not very good at reading the signs, but God often takes me by surprise. It’s always wonderful when He just adds His touch of glory to a day. And when that touch is a fully fledged, blow-your-mind sort of bolt-from-the-heavenly-blue… well, I certainly like pulses of blessing!
So I guess I should get used to rain.
It may be inconvenient at times, (so is God!) but it brings things to life (so does God) and it does make everything nice and clean (so does… you get the idea!).
Enjoy the rest of the summer –
Liz
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