Spring Rain

Rainfall

Breathless with anticipation, Sighing at the cool sensation,

Field and forest stir and murmur To the rhythm of the rain.

And the thirsty grass and flowers Whisper thank You for the showers

As their roots drink up the moisture In the meadow and the lane.

                                                                                                                     — Blanche Day Manos

Rain is falling like a gentle benediction on this, the Lord’s Day. If the warm temperatures continue, dead winter grass will soon give way to the green of springtime and the flowers which have cautiously poked their heads above ground will take courage and pop up everywhere, rejoicing in the rainfall.

Have you ever noticed how children can have fun, whether rain keeps them inside or they are allowed to go out? Under my drain spout at the corner of the house, a wonderful, deep puddle appears after a rain. When my granddaughter was smaller, she could not resist that puddle. Off would come her socks and shoes and she’d jump into that small pond. Of course, afterward, a warm foot bath was necessary but for the moment, it was enough to feel the squishy grass and mud between her toes.

Then of course, there’s the swift stream (admittedly a small one) that hurries down the street by the curb after a good rainfall. For my grandchildren, it’s a river for leaf boat racing. They run alongside each unsteady craft, urging their boats on until a stick stops the contest or the river dwindles down to nothing.

And then, of course, there’s the magic of a mud puddle mirror. Sky and clouds reflected in a puddle are things to wonder at until this upside down puddle world becomes dizzying.

If the rain is too heavy for outside play, there’s always Mem’s family room and a hideaway made of cushions and afghans. It’s fun to listen to the rain splashing on the deck while safe and secure in an indoors cave or fort and everyone knows that a snack of cheese and crackers is much tastier when eaten in the dark confines of a cushion cave.

Rain is like a curtain, closing me into a snug world. My spirit is one with the rainfall. Invigorating, refreshing and welcome–this grownup enjoys the rain too for without it, we could not go on. It seems to me that God is blessing the earth with each raindrop. “Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit” Leviticus 26:4. Like the grass and flowers, I too whisper, Thank You for the rain.