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Rainy days: good for puddle
jumping or soggy socks
by Laura Higgins
 Every
day when I come home, I am greeted by my precious treasures of art.
In my room hangs a gallery of art that I have collected from all
of my "little boys". All of the boys I have babysat or taught in
Sunday school have given me some kind of picture that they drew
with me in mind.
Of all of these, the one that my brother drew for me over Christmas
break is the best. It is a picture of the two of us in the rain.
I asked him about why he drew it the way that he did, with the dark
clouds over our lopsided heads and the vicious torrent of rain in
the background. Despite the yucky background, there we stand with
our arms in the air and huge grins on our faces. He drew it this
way because he is showing how we have fun. "If you don't have fun
in the rain, it's just wet."
Oh, the profound wisdom of a six-year-old. Keeping your joy in the
middle of the storm may be the difference between puddle jumping
and just plain getting your socks wet.
Isaiah 51:11 reads: "The ransomed of the Lord will return. They
will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will
flee away."
Trials are not the most enjoyable things to endure in our lives.
Frankly, I would rather be sitting in my room reading a good book
and sipping a cup of coffee instead of struggling through the issues
of everyday life. Anyone in his right mind would. But life is not
designed that way. Jesus told us that we would be overcomers, but
He did not tell us that it would be easy. We all know this is true.
But it does not become a reality until we are in the middle of the
hardest situations of our lives and still keep our good attitude.
Life is made to be lived. In living to the fullest, regardless of
the situation, we can fully influence others' lives. People don't
always remember what it is that we say or do, but they remember
our attitudes and the way that we act and handle ourselves.
They may not remember all the times that you had the right answer
for their questions, but they will remember when you stood in the
middle of the storm and played in the puddles.
Our lives are a showcase of God within us...how we act is an expression
of Him. In the middle of the storm, the last thing that is on your
mind is to be joyful. But next time you are not in the situation
you would like to be in, think of the puddles and make a decision
to lift your chin and be joyful. Nobody likes soggy socks, anyway.
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