Bucket??? We don't need no bucket, we need an ARK!

Well, I decided to come down to the beach as planned on Monday.  When I arrived in Wilmington, it was raining...and I mean raining.  The HIGH WATER sign on College Rd. did little to describe the amount of water that was in the roadway.  I trudged through (not very safe, I know, but one cannot just 'turn around, don't drown' in afternoon traffic) and made it safely to the beach place.  Little did I know how much it was going to rain!

Monday evening I took a walk on the beach.  This is my typical relaxing activity, as well as my exercise, when I am here.  I usually walk 3 miles, but it was looking rough over toward the mainland, so I decided to just walk a couple miles, and unfortunately for me, it started raining (again) when I was only about halfway into my 2 mile trek.  Needless to say, I got soaked.  Came back and undressed in the shower, where I had to wring the water out of my clothes!

Walking in the rain is good, though.  I don't remember the last time that I did that.  Usually in the rain, we are hurriedly dashing from place to place, under an umbrella or raincoat, trying to stay dry.  In this case, I knew that I was going to get soaked, so I just took my time, bare feet and all, and laughed at my predicament!

Little did I know, that the rain had just begun.  Today, Thursday, 4 days later, the area has had over TWENTY-TWO inches of rain.  It has finally stopped this evening, and gracious as God is, he left his calling card of hope to this area that is now gone from drought to floodstage in many areas.

Many times, I find myself walking through the proverbial rain, hurriedly trying to find the rainbow that I know must be there, even though I cannot see it.  I think there is a lesson here for me (and maybe for you too).  Slow down, walk, don't run, and enjoy the rain instead of trying to find a way to quickly get out of it.  Savor the feeling of the rivulets dripping into your face, tasting the rain on your tongue.  The rain will one day end.  The answer will come in time, and it will be beautiful, just like the rainbow.