Need Washing?
A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She
must have
been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image
of
innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over
the
top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no
time to
flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and
just inside the
door of the Target.
We waited, some patiently, others irritated because
nature messed up their
hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I
got lost in the sound
and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and
dust of the world.
Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child
came pouring in as a
welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.
The
little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all
caught
in "Mom let's run through the rain," she said.
"What?" Mom
asked.
"Lets 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 stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear
anything
but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the
next few
minutes.
Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she
would say. Now some
would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some
might even
ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a
young
child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that
it
will bloom into faith.
"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run
through the rain. If GOD let's
us get wet, well maybe we just needed
washing," Mom said.
Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and
laughing as they
darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They
held their
shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But
they
were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all 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,
they can
take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no
one can
ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make
time and
take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything
there is a
season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
I HOPE YOU
STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.
Take the time to
live!!!
Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when you'll need
each
other -- and don't forget to run in the
rain!
~Sarah~
Last July, I broke my other big toe walking out of my apartment building carrying my laundry. Undergarments went flying....everywhere. Thank God, no one was around to see me. I sprained my left ankle walking down Nursey's front steps, two years ago. Six years ago, I broke my right foot. I was stepping down off of ONE step, backwards mind you...lost my balance..turned around..stepped down. Hear a CRACK!!! Not fun. I broke my right arm in the seventh grade playing flag football. This boy fell on top of me, I put my arms back to break the fall.....you get the picture. 
