Waiting on the Rain

How many times have I prolonged the children's requests to play outside because dark clouds filled the skyline, only to end the day puddle free?  I have often thought I worry too much about the rain. I heed the omens of dark skies and miss adventures of the everyday.

If I am not careful, I will waste my days waiting on the rain that never comes.

Tuesday the kids and I piled into the car under clear, sunny skies. We headed to the beach for a few hours of fun. As we approached the shoreline the sheet of gray-blue cloud coverage threatened to cancel our plans. I parked our car and initiated a conversation with a mom of three in the truck next to us. "What do you think about this weather?" "I am hoping it holds off," she replied. "The forecast says a 30% chance of rain...it looks like more than that to me," I offered. She continued to put sunscreen on one of her boys as I made my way to the pay-station. If she was willing to risk it, so was I.

I snapped a picture of the darkening skyline and sent it with this text to Ron, "Stupidity or raising the risk?" I had already answered the question in my own mind but wanted him to be clued into our morning decisions.

We had not been on the beach five minutes when the wind kicked up, and the cooler breeze blew our towel up the beach. As the sand began to whip in the air and sting our eyes, I called to the kids to pack it up and head to the car. I mumbled complaints under my breath and picked up Little E as it was much faster to carry him than wait on him to fix his ever troublesome flip-flops.

The wind continued to pick up and the beach become desolate of people as the parking lot bustled with activity. I snapped a few more pictures and passed out snacks to the children already buckled in their seats. At least we could watch the storm come in.

That's when it hit me. Risking an adventure in the face of rain cancellation makes for a better story.

We snacked and watched the rainstorm. It sprinkled a bit as the darkening sky now filled our 360 view. Only one sliver of the shore held any patch of blue sky. We pulled out and started our journey back to the house.

I continued to snap more pictures and text them to Ron. It poured as we parked our car in the drive.

Then as I unloaded the kids, the rain subsided and the sun broke through. At least we could splash in the puddles.

"Mom, it's sunny now. Can we go to the pool?" Emily inquired. Well, why not? The rain had already come and gone. Another adventure awaited. "Why waste our bathing suits and sunscreen?" I thought. "Okay, Emily. Load up kids."

As it turned out, we had a wonderful morning at the pool. The kids played, snorkeled, and laughed.

All because we didn't waste our day waiting on the rain to come.

What dark skies are threatening the horizon which cause you to hesitate when He calls you to go forth? Ask yourself this question today, "Do I want to waste my life waiting on the rain that may never come?"

Living this day in light of eternity because heaven is our home,