Rain

She had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful brown haired, freckle-faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the tops of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the Earth it has no time to flow out the spout.

We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Wal-Mart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. The rainfall had an effect, though. It kind of mesmerized us ... we stood there, lost in the sound and the sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world.

Her voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were caught in. "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said.

"What?" Mom asked.

"Let's run through the rain!" She repeated.

"No Honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, Let's run through the rain."

"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.

"No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

"This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?"

Don't you remember? When you were talking to daddy about his cancer. You said, "If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything!"

The entire crowd was dead silent. You couldn't hear anything but the rain.

We all stood silently. No one came or left. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even pretend to ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life.

"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If God let's us get wet, well, maybe we just need washing," Mom said.

Then off they ran! We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through puddles. They even took the long way.

They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children on the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, your money, even your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories.....So, don't forget to make time and make memories every day.

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

I hope your day includes taking time to run in the rain! You deserve it, and so do those closest to you.