I quietly love rainy days. I love hearing the music of the rain pattering persistently on the roof, drumming to its own beat. I love seeing the shapes and colours of the clouds as they roll in, occasionally with the odd clear patch of skies between. I also love being stuck inside, warm and dry, by a roaring fire, with the perfect excuse to curl up with a good book or crack open a great game to play.
My girls love dancing outside in the rain; having a ‘outdoor shower’ as they call it. I love watching their shining eyes and gleaming faces as they tilt their heads back to catch the raindrops in their open mouths.
Rainy days.
As I peer through our windows, the droplets on the glass catch my eye almost as much as the scenery beyond. I’m thankful that rain is the answer to the droughts we’ve been experiencing. I’m thankful for the freedom that comes when you literally get stopped in your tracks and can’t “do” any of the vast number of things that “need” done, because they rely on the weather. I like to think of it as a reminder to be still. To rest. To pause in the pace of life and just enjoy what it brings, knowing that God designed both the sun and the rain for a reason.
But rainy days don’t always make us smile, do they? There’s a sense of inconvenience that can come with them as we dodge the rain to get places and have to concentrate extra hard as we drive to see the lines on the road. As we find ourselves forced to cancel our outdoor plans but then still end up skidding in the slick mud or on a water-laden path (if there’s a way to slip, I seem to be able to find it!).
Some days, when your spirits are low, a rainy day can feel like it’s adding insult to injury. Somehow it can be that much harder to look up, when all you see at first glance, is grey. If that’s you today, please accept my virtual *hug* : I know what that’s like. I really do. Sometimes there are no words.
There’s a quote I love, that sits on a plaque on my bookshelf:
Isn’t that a beautiful reminder? If storms were how dancers are made, I suspect that some of us would be pretty amazing in a leotard.
Be assured that your story matters. It’s your version of dancing in the rain.
Today I’m choosing to be thankful for rain, and to pay closer attention to what I see: to the beauty that’s captured – even encased – by the rain. It’s my prayer that you will be able to do the same. Whether you’re already in the middle of a rainy day, or whether you think of this next time you encounter one.
I pray that, wherever you find yourself right now, however you’re feeling, you’ll be able to keep on learning how to dance in the rain, both literally (perhaps?!) and figuratively.
Be encouraged, friends.
Kristy x
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