Thunder roared overhead, the rain pelting hard against my window, as lightning flashed and momentarily lit up my bedroom. Tobi the wonder dog lay on the bed snugly between Hubby and I, his little heart racing with fright as he jumped at every flash of light and crack of thunder. Only on stormy nights is he allowed on the bed and he knows it, so he took full advantage of the privilege, keeping Hubby up half the night consoling him. The storm was relentless, beating down on `Oahu from just after midnight and didn’t cease until well after daybreak.

At approximately 6:15 am, the UPS alarm beeped from the computer room, indicating that we had just lost power. A quick glance at my clock radio confirmed this when the glowing red numbers were not. In 15 minutes, my battery-powered alarm clock was set to sound, telling me that it was time to get ready for church. But, no electricity meant Donna goes nowhere. After all, my daily ritual involves a hot shower, blow dry, and flat iron. All of the above required electricity. I had figured that I would take a day off from church today.

Hubby had bounded out of bed and drove to the nearest store to buy ice to preserve our perishables in the event of a prolonged power outage. It would be a crying shame to see the 3 cartons of organic milk, case of Activia yogurt, and assorted perishables that I bought from Costco just yesterday go to waste. I extracted the cooler from the storage closet by flashlight and hosed it down outside. By the time I was done, the power had come back on.

Hubby returned with the ice and put it in the cooler anyway, just in case. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I had just enough time to jump in the shower and get ready for church. Dare I say, almost reluctantly, I pushed myself to get ready to leave the comfort of our warm, dry home and venture into the cold, stormy weather outside. It would have been so easy to stay home, snuggled under the blankets, waking up whenever and lounging around with the cup of hot chocolate. But, there were greater rewards awaiting. Not just here, but in heaven, too.

Today, one of the songs we sang during worship was “Bring the Rain.” How appropriate, not just in the literal sense, but also in the figurative sense. Although I am often prone to praying for His blessings, protection, wisdom, comfort, etc., I realize that I must also accept the “rainy days” in life. I have learned that the days that bring us most pain also bring us the greatest lessons. Admittedly, it’s difficult for me to pray, “Lord, bring the rain.” But, when it comes, as it always does, I pray that the lessons will not be lost on me, and that I come out on the other side of the pain looking a little more like Jesus.

Perhaps, if you read the lyrics below, my ramblings above will make a little more sense. And, thanks to the wonders of YouTube, you can also listen to the song as well.

Day 4 of 30

“Bring The Rain”
by Mercy Me

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I’ve gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You

Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty

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