pluviophile

Funny thing is that I don’t enjoy getting wet from walking, standing or sitting in the rain, but I love hearing the patter on the roof of the building I am in, cozy and dry when it is pouring down outside. Rainy days were for playing games at the kitchen table or staying under the covers for a little longer in the morning. It was for warming the kitchen and filling the room with scents of roasted chicken or cinammon from apple crisp. It was the day to sit by a fire, curl up with a good book or simply to sit and watch the drops slide down the window glass.

Rain can also trigger bad memories of river floods and down dreary days of no sunshine, but God sends rain to nurture the grass, the plants, the trees. Springtime delivers plenty of showers to bring May flowers. Children get to splash in puddles in their rubber boots. Robins bop in the grass devouring worms and taking them to feed their young. Dry ground soaks up the moisture in the soil and even cacti collect rain for dry days. Our mother loved the rain.

A pluviophile is a lover of rain. These are people who find joy and peace of mind during rainy days. Some people grab an umbrella and enjoy a walk. Rainy days are great days for contemplating life. Quiet times during rainy, dreary days can lead to pensive thoughts. Creativity can flow. What mindset do you find yourself on a rainy day?

In the bible, 1 Kings 18 v. 41-46 tells the story of Elijah the prophet praying for rain.

Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!” So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees.  Then he said to his servant,

“Go and look out toward the sea.” The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.”

Seven times Elijah told him to go and look.  Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.”

Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’”

And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel. Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel.

Sometimes, our rainy days can get us down, but like Elijah, we have to claim God’s promises. Elijah had faith that God would bring the rain and that’s why he continued to pray. We too can pray for specific situations or people in our lives and claim HIs promises when we pray to find that joy and peace. God will answer - even on rainy days.

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

Jeremiah 29:12

instead

Instead of dwelling in my old, set ways in this comfortable space, maybe I need to try “Shoshin”. According to Kelly Chausovsky, “Shoshin” is a Buddist term that means having a beginner’s mind or an attitude of openness and eagerness for whatever one encounters in life. It’s that willingness to set aside expectations and preconceived ideas and live fully.

Instead of being consumed by my thoughts and thinking negative outcomes, I need to start the day’s mindset with a song of joy in my heart. Instead of alone, try a “with” someone. That might be a phone call chat or a walk with a friend. It might be dancing in the kitchen to an upbeat song or smiling and chatting with others on a walk in nature. Instead of a complaint, it’s a word of gratitude.

For some, instead of sliding into their car and racing off to work, they now slide out of the warm sheets, feet touching the cold floor as they pitter patter down the hall in their pajamas to work. Instead of worrying about health, our kids, our finances, the world tells us that there are solutions, but my source of strength comes from prayer. And instead of sliding into despair because of disappointments, I can rest in God’s Word and believe His promises.

Instead of getting psyched up for a trip to sunny weather, palm trees and ocean waves, it’s time to put on the runners, pull up the hoodie and venture into nature wandering trails and keeping a brisk pace to ward off the chill in the morning air. Instead of stationary, it’s mobility.

Instead of living in fear and wondering or worrying about the future or the state of the world, I read the bible verses of wisdom and reassurances. Matthew 6:31-34 tells us:

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

And so, instead of worry, choose wonder. Instead of striped, try solid. Instead of vanilla, try pistaccio. Instead of death, choose life. Live it fully in Christ.

silence

“He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words.” Elbert Hubbard

I am fluent in silence. As much as I love the cadence of voices in a conversation, the noise of laughter and chatter in a room of people, I am grateful for the quietness and peace of the silence that permeates my world at times. Arising early in the morning before the world has shifted into motion affords me the opportunity to soak up the silence.

There were times in my life when everything had to be full - of people, activities, work, travel and doing. Rumi tells us that: There are times when we keep on engaging ourselves in useless talks. Also, we tend to engage ourselves in so many unnecessary things that we hardly think of getting some alone time for ourselves away from all those nuisances, and thus, be able to listen to the silence.

As I’ve aged, I realize that I have slowed down, outgrown some of the events that crowded my life. I can enjoy some of the fullness of the quietness. I am learning to tolerate more silences in my life. One learns to be comfortable with self or to be comfortable waiting to fill those longer times of nothingness. Silence can be a great teacher. I stand in the recess of this time in history with the clutter of chaos and wonder if we aren’t to just listen. The planes are not flying south in formation to sunny destinations like they used to. The classrooms, hallways and playgrounds are once again silenced because the children have been sent home. The house sits empty waiting for family and friends to fill the spaces once again. And so I listen in the silence. Reflecting, praying, waiting.

What is going on in your silences right now? What is God trying to show you as you listen to His voice? Be still and know that He is God.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God Psalm 62:5-7 ESV

ebullience

Ebullience is the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts or feelings. This driving energy and enthusiasm is a cherished characteristic much needed in a world of doom and gloom - at least these days it seems.

Sure you say, that’s easy for you, but not for me. Apparently every household is different for sure, but there is an old Indian proverb that says everyone is a house with four rooms: mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. Because most of us tend to live in one room most of the time, the air gets stuffy. We need to go into every room, every day to complete our persona and freshen things up. What a better way than to find that enthusiastic thought!

This month is Mental Health Awareness. I recently posted comments that read: Health does not always come from medicine. Most of the time, it comes from peace of mind, peace in the heart, peace in the soul. It comes from laughter and love. And yet it seems, that we can get drawn into, sucked along, and pounded down from negative energy. My friends and I are completing a six-week Wellness Incentive. Our five areas we want to focus on are: Love, play, work, sleep and eating. What does that look like in your life?

We continue walking about telling everyone we are fine - when in fact we are not. Matthew West recently wrote a song entitled, Truth Be Told. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OLGUW1VHLY

“I wrote ‘Truth Be Told’ because I don’t want to be a professional Christian anymore. I wanna be the first person who says ‘You know what? I’ve got some messes and I’m going to dare to believe that there’s a God who loves me anyway. And I’m going to dare to believe that there’s some other Christians who would love me anyway even if they knew that I was less than perfect.’ So I’m putting it out there, truth be told and I hope you will too. Be honest, be vulnerable and trust that the Lord is never going to leave your side.” – Matthew West

I pray that from getting out of bed in the morning, finding joy in the little moments during the day, until you lay your head to rest, that will never fail to fill your life with energy, ebullience and joy so that you will be filled with wonder, peace, love and laughter.

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-38

workout

Exercise can conjure up thoughts of disinterest or enthusiasm. We exercise our rights, our bodies and communication skills. Each of them are important aspects of being fit. Oh, I can be fit to be tied, engage in fit workouts to get and stay healthy or can have a fit that things didn’t go my way or workout.

We need to workout our problems and find solutions and just because circumstances didn’t work out the way we thought they would, we can still express our thoughts and feelings in the gymnasiums of our lives. Taking the weights off our shoulders and bench pressing our fears away, help us to run this race. Running from our troubles just exhausts us, but running into the arms of Jesus gives us peace. You can flex your muscles and spin your wheels but the truth be told; we all want to live healthy lives Right?

There is the story I read of the American businessman on holiday in Mexico when he meets a Mexican fisherman.

When the fisherman came in with his catch, the American asked him how long it took him to catch that many fish. 

“Not long.” was the reply.

“Then why didn’t you stay out longer?” asked the tourist.

“Because this is enough for me and my family.” explained the fisherman.

“So what do you do with the rest of your time?”

“I sleep late, fish for a while, play with my children, take a siesta and spend time with my wife.  Then in the evening, I go into the village to visit my friends, I have a few drinks, play the guitar and sing a few songs.  I have a full life.”

The American was surprised.  “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you.  You should spend more time on the water fishing, then you can sell the extra fish, make more money and buy a bigger boat.”

“And after that?”

“With the extra money from the bigger boat, you can buy two or three boats and eventually hire more people to operate a fleet of fishing trawlers.  Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can start to negotiate directly with the processing plants.  After a while you would be able to open your own plant.  Then you could leave this little village for Mexico City and eventually, New York!  From there you could operate the whole enterprise.”

“How long would that take?” asked the fisherman.

“20-25 years.”

“And after that?”

“Well my friend, that’s when the fun starts.” explained the tourist, “When the business gets really big, you can sell stock in the company and make millions!”

“Wow, millions.  What happens after that?” asked the fisherman.

“After that you’ll be able to retire on the coast, sleep in every day, do some fishing, play with your grandkids, take a siesta and spend time with your wife.  In the evenings you will be able to go out drinking and singing with your friends.”

The fisherman just shrugged his shoulders and walked away. The fisherman got it.

Balance: physically, emotionally and spiritually. When our workouts are out of whack, we suffer aches and pains, injuries and hurts, neglect and stationary lifestyles. These only impede our progress. Find the rhythms, the cadences of our bodies and minds, the rituals of spirituality in prayer and reading the Word and finding that peace in our souls, because in the end, "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Workout, yes! “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews12:2-3).

time and space

As I walked through grief and loneliness, I saw the river of tears flowing through my pain. I heard my cry of agony echoing in the valley of hurt. I noticed the smell of sweet sorrow as it wafted across the chasms of silence. I tasted the cup of bitterness and stood alone in the midst of the unknown. Yet, as each of us have experienced grief in different ways, it is the journey - step by step - that leads forward into new hope.

In these past few weeks, I have heard heart breaking news, listened to painful stories and felt such empathy and longing to heal so many hurts, but all I can offer is my listening ear, a loving heart of compassion and deliberate prayers. I long to do so much more, but it is not my path to walk. That is not the space I am in and it is not my time.

Throughout history, we have read or heard about stories of human suffering and yet there are as many tales of bravery, courage, overcoming impossible obstacles even in the face of death. We can chose to take our moments of pain and hold them in our fists declaring that we will fight and overcome; but the reality is that what we need to do is to let go, to release those chains that are binding us to the pain. Open our palms to receive blessings. Turn our palms together and lift them up in prayer. And we need to walk through whatever it is to become the person God is molding us to be.

Our struggles can strengthen us. As we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” we are to fear no evil. He walks with us. Years ago I remember reading the poem “Footprints”. Many have claimed to have written it, but apparently it first appeared in 1978 in a small town newspaper and was about an elderly man who was ready to die.

"As I'm looking down on the paths I've trod, I see two sets of footprints on the easy paths.

But down the rocky roads I see only one set of footprints.

"Tell me, Lord, why did you let me go down all those hard paths alone?"

The Lord smiled and simply replied, "Oh, my son, you've got that all wrong!

I carried you over those hard paths."

And so, as we walk this sometimes long and arduous life, we can know that we don’t have to do it alone. We have supportive and loving people in our lives, but we also have a God who carries us through time and space to better places. Let go and let Him walk you through the hard paths.

"Do not grieve for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10