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Monday, May 4
Whirring lawnmowers. Annoying blowers. This was how my morning started. How could I attain quiet for a conversation with the Lord?
I walked to my family room window and looked out. Bazillions of beautiful blossoms arrayed the trees, and, at the same time, spewed out their allergy-packed pollen as thick as fog, prompting tissues to peek out of all my pockets. A brisk breeze released the grip of the “helicopters” on the maple trees, as the tiny descendants concealed the ground in a blanket of ancestry.
These sights and sounds heralded the profusion of nature’s new, spring season.
As I stood there gazing at God’s hand of creativity, a brief, spring sprinkle fell delicately on our patio, animating the dried seedlings to hop and dance.
Giggling at the delightful sight of dancing seedlings, the thought crossed my mind: sometimes the blustery winds of a new season blow against us, and we succumb by loosening our grip on the Lord as our Vine of nourishment. In letting go, we find ourselves lying on the ground, disconnected from our fellowship with Him.
When this happens, we usually misunderstand the point of what has come our way. Yes, sometimes the enemy blows his hot blast of affliction upon us, but, other times, it is God’s sweet breath of purpose.
Along with His wind of purpose, God occasionally sends showers, whether as gentle dews or great downpours as an answer to our prayers. Either way, we are not always hopping and dancing at the answer He provides.
When we learn to welcome, with open hearts, all the elements of each new season in our lives, whether heat, cold, rain, or drought, as being the gentle guidance of the Lord to rejuvenate us and bring about a new season of growth in our lives, praise and thanksgiving will begin to emerge from deep within us.
Starting down in our toes, praise will to bounce around, creep up into our throats, and dart out, causing our spirits to delight and dance before the Lord.
When you feel like a dried seedling lying on the ground, do you welcome the spring rains of circumstance that fall upon you? Do you understand that they are sometimes the answers to prayers? Do you dance in praise to the Lord for them?
As the saying goes…
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass...it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
Joel 2:23 says, “Rejoice in the LORD your God! For the rains He sends are an expression of His grace.” (The Life Recovery Bible NLT)
Prayer: Lord, May I recognize those things that come into my life as being elements of guidance and growth so that I may follow Your lead and welcome them with dancing feet in praise and thanksgiving. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
~~Blessings, Lynn~~
I love spring when everything springs to life again. We love sunny days and beautiful blossoms, but without the rains, they couldn't grow. Thanks for the reminder to DANCE in the Rain and NOT complain about it. ><>
Unbelievable your talent with words, I agree with the storms, one after the other, I will remember to learn to dance in the rain. Great post.
Thank you, Lynn, for your love and prayers and for this post.
I love you,
Judi
What an eloquent writer you are Lynn! I needed this today as I am going through one of those "storms" of life. Thank you!
Lynn,
It is as if God had you write this specifically for me today...wow...I don't know whether to laugh or to cry from the gift you have just given me.
I've felt like the dried up little seedling laying on the ground this week, but your words have brought a gentle summer shower to my soul...thank you dear friend!
xoxo,
Melissa
You write so beautifully and offer such lovely lessons of life, Lynn! It is raining here today, and you've made me want to get out and dance in the rain! I'll probably just sit quietly in my chair, praising God, and let my spirit do the dancing!
Lovely! I so thoroughly enjoy spring too. And I love dancing in the rain, both literally and spiritually. I love that God's creation springs forth with lessons for us all. I thoroughly believe mountains are sacred ground. Every time I go mountain climbing, I hear people in the distance either talking about the Lord or singing praises. You can't help but feel a parallel to the mountains we climb in life and the sense of God's presence. Your dancing in the rain comment reminded me of that.
I'm dancing now in my spirit, enjoying the beauty of your words and the thought of the many ways in which God reminds us of His care for us.
Lynn, you really do have a gift with words. The Almighty has blessed you with the same artistry that a painter has with canvas. What a blessings.
i heard this in an ad here on the radio recently and i thought... what an amen
blessings
gp in montana
Oh Lynn, how blessed I am to know you through Blog Land! And wouldn't you know that even before I came to visit this post, I read Melissa's post at Mel's World in Miami, FL. I've been praying for her and she loved what you wrote and how it touched her heart. And now you've touched mine too.
You have such a gift for writing. You know just a little bit about what's happening in my life and yet ... I think you also wrote those words for me. :)
BTW, I was so excited this morning. I won a giveaway on a blog called Forever n Ever n Ever and it's a gift certificate to a day spa. Here's her link with the announcement: http://forevernevernalways1.blogspot.com/2009/05/fearfully-fabulous-friday-join-in.html. She writes much so you have to scroll down a bit. But only the Lord would know how much this would mean to me in the midst of a very stressful time.
And I also wanted to call your attention to a blog post I wrote on Heart Choices on Thursday about my mom. Here's that link:http://www.heartchoices.com/2009/05/thankful-thursday-mom.html.
Sorry to bombard you like this but I just had to write to tell you. And Happy Mother's Day to you Lynn.