"I Love Every Rain Drop"

It's the summer of 19??.....and as I sit on the bed I'm talking to God and listening to HIM. I'm wondering why? What if and What could have been? When I look up to a noise I heard in the hallway, my eyes glanced the calendar, and it reminded me of a birthday that was coming up. When the summer hits South Carolina, look out! I often would tell my students in Science class that South Carolina has "Unpredictable Weather!" In the beginning of the year, they would laugh but as time progressed, they understood exactly what I meant. Hot and steamy one minute and Hot and wet the next.

Everyone seems to rest a little bit better when it's raining, not a thunderstorm, just raining. Each raindrop could be looked at a tear of love, a drop of sweetness, or a drop of healing. The rain is calming, especially hitting on a tin roof. As I lay back on the bed to read and be comfortable, the telephone starts to ring. I answer and its' one of those aggravating tele-marketers. I told him no, and hung up the phone. I refused to be interrupted again, so I took the telephone off of the hook and began to read my book. I could feel myself relaxing and snuggling into the pillows on my bed. Reading something new, I really wanted to get into this book. I paused long enough to get some chips and a coke. As I got back on the bed to get comfortable, I was thinking to myself, I hear rain. I was right, it was not hard - just steady and slow. Between my book, my chips & coke, the rain and my bed - I was in heaven. God thank you!

Summer is a time to relax , unwind, take trips, and remember.....

Ah, the memories.......I don't know if I was sleeping, napping, or day-dreaming. I was comfortable every minute of where I was. I knew it was getting late in the evening, but it wasn't really dark yet. Right now I feel like I'm travelling in a time tunnel. I keep flashing back to things that have happened in the past. They're beautiful memories, just wondering WHY? I know that I'm remembering these things for a reason, but I'm sure it will come to me as to why.

I don't seem to be able to get into this new book, so listening to some music will take me where I need to be. Summer time always brings about different feelings, thoughts, and memories. Listening to music from the 70's is a wonderful trip. Earth, Wind, and Fire reminds me of college days. Fun, Free, and funky! When if you cared it was all good; if you didn't you'd join the band wagon soon. I just don't understand why I'm reminiscing about summers gone by.

Laying back on the bed, (not knowing if I'm asleep or day-dreaming) I'm in that time tunnel again......Remembering the fun, the laughs, the decision making and celebrating this special birthday. God I don't understand why all of this is coming to me now. I know the content, I truly understand the LOVE......but I don't understand the why? The rain is coming down steadily, and is so calming. People celebrate a person's birthday because they love them, because they're glad you're alive (especially those who make it past 60, 70 and 80), or because you're just you.

Remembering is sometimes hard for some folks, because it brings back rough times, and a time when things were not so good. But being thankful for all of the memories is great. Especially, when you can remember things that make you laugh, make you love harder, and things that just make life complete. I guess that's why I'm wondering why.......I know that everything has a time, a place, and a schedule in God's Planning. Just the smell of summer - tobacco, mama's peach cobbler, canning tomatoes, putting corn, beans and peas in the freezer, and eating watermelon makes it all worth while. As I look at the children, many of them won't experience those kind of summers. No cucumber fields, no putting in tobacco, no drinking from a hose, no sleeping on the floor at a relatives house, and most of all no Fall Revival at their local church. Sure, the church revivals still go on, but what happened to the old saints that would pray over you and talk to you about GOD......I miss them so very much. But God still has a plan. We just have to fall in line.

No summer is not like it used to be. We're so used to the air-conditioning and the computers, that outside, watermelon and all the other things of summer don't factor in. Birthdays are celebrated inside, not in the yard where it is hot and muggy. We go to places where we don's have to sweat, don't have to entertain, and don't have to do anything but smile and be cordial. Their idea of a slamming party, is to have 10 to 12 of their friends go to the beach and stay. Mind you, you're paying for this, but you have to keep your distance, and stay out of their conversation. This is what needs to be included in their stay at the beach for a birthday party, or their expectations of a summer vacation stay at the beach, a pool, having room service, and maybe going to a movie. For them it depends on how hot it is. The one thing they cannot do without is their phone, a computer, and the place has to have wi-fi. If these things cannot be in their reach, then forget it!

This time tunnel that I've had the pleasure of visiting has reminded of love, caring, understanding, what people who love you will do for you and being there to celebrate other people. It seems to always be just when you think not, or in your mind don't believe what's in front of you, or just give up.........it is what GOD has for you. There is a reason for everything. Whether it be a birthday, a glance at your past, or just reminiscing.....I don't understand the WHY NOW, but I'm grateful for the many memories, caring, love and remembering that birthday.......Inspite of everything I went through, I love every rain drop, because it has helped me to understand what the Lord is trying to tell me. In HIS time, God will tell me the WHY?