Top: I took this picture from the 3rd floor of our house. Tony is at the front gate, in the rain, of course! Bottom: These two have NO trouble embracing the rain in their lives--they are happy, happy, happy!
Hello, all--
I am sitting in our third floor office beside a window. It is raining so hard, it looks like fog. The overhead is as if a hundred bags of rice are being poured out on the roof all at once. Mini-waterfalls rush from every scalloped tile that lines the roof. It is a cozy feeling inside, to hear the spatter of water from every direction and yet to be dry--well mostly dry.
I took Anna Mei to her dance class this morning. We found a Vietnamese "ballet" class--not your traditional class, but still very good--incorporating grace, strength, balance and beauty. The class meets on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 7:30-9:00am. So, there went any opportunity to sleep in! Ha! When we left, it was cloudy, but dry. Faith and Joy woke up and wanted to come, so in the melee of shoes, clothes, hairbrushing and getting out to the taxi, I left the umbrella. Not good. Midway through the class, the downpour began. We were inside, but the rain was blowing almost horizontally, so we had to close the doors and windows. At the end of class, our taxi was waiting, but there was nothing to do but walk the 50 yards or so from the building to the street in the rain. The water collects in pools off every side walk, so we waded part way to the car. At the house, the driver kindly drove on the sidewalk, as close to the gate as possible, but even that last 30 feet or so was enough to give me my second shower of the day.I have to laugh. In the states, I would have found this rain a major annoyance--maybe even enough to ruin my day. I would have grumbled about getting wet, ruining my hair, soaking my clothes, submerging my sandals. Now, I am getting used to it. I guess Jesus CAN teach an old dog new tricks. Ha!
Last night, Tony took me to a movie after supper. Duc and his daughter Sally came to stay with the girls. Linh is visiting family right now. We took the motorbike. Again, not raining when we left the house, downpour when we came out. The parking garage (which, by the way, is marked entirely for motorbikes) is underground, so no problem there. Tony had a heavy duty rain poncho--long in the front and back, so he put it on and I used the tail to bring up to my shoulders and around my back. It worked very well--we were both waterlogged from the knees down, but dry everywhere else. His face was wet, of course, but mine was protected by his body in front of me. My wonderful, TALL "chong toi" (Vietnamese for "husband").I wonder if I sat to think about it, how many other nonconsequential, unimportant things I have spent WAY too much time being frustrated about? (Like the grammar I just butchered in that last sentence?) :)I think of that saying "Major on the majors." For me, the "majors" right now are blessed and experiencing peace. How can I complain?
May the Lord reveal to you the situations that are "rain" in your own life, and may you find a happy release to any frustration, aggravation or angst!
Grace and peace!
