Singing in the Rain

Seattle is famous for Pike's Market, the Space Needle, Microsoft, the green forests, Mount Rainier and of course, the rain. When the rains come, like they have recently, the emotions kick in. I remember several years ago when it rained here for 40 straight days. Just when I had my ark half built it finally stopped!

Recently they have returned and I find myself feeling emotionally depressed and tired quite frequently. When coupled with my uphill battle to find work there are many times during these days that I just get plain tired of it all. Life feels heavy. Six years of a journey back to full time ministry has left me spent both physically and emotionally.

So again, today I return to the one ray of sunshine I can count on, with yet another rainy day.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me...Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly. (Matthew 11, The Message)

The rhythms of rain pounding outside my window are actually there to remind me of God's grace sprinkling on my weary soul. They are a reminder to rest in Him and not not my abilities to make things happen. That rest comes from walking with Jesus in a Godlife that is centered and practiced in letting go. My Godlife "God-senses" in the now and rests in a life-practice that is free from the chains of worry and control. He is keeping company with me in the rain. It's only there that I can recover my life and my joy.

So today, I'll be singing in the rain.

Dada, da, da...dada, da, da, da, da...

Setting the Sail

I love being next to water or the ocean. There is something very peaceful about water - except when the wind kicks up or a storm comes. Experienced sailors know how to use the wind in a sailboat to maneuver the boat in the direction they choose no matter where the wind is blowing. In that same sense when the winds of difficulty kick up the human tendency is to let that wind blow us in whatever direction the wind chooses. The result is a defeatist attitude that lives under the control of the wind. Our choice as human beings is to choose our own direction of joy in tough circumstances. We can choose to set the sail instead of letting the gale set us. In that sense even difficulty can be the power that moves us forward into a Godlife that is God revealing. Today I lost my job...today I choose joy.