I enjoy rain when it dances on the flowers on a hot summer afternoon invigorating the day and making everything smell fresh and clean. That is what rain is supposed to do. I believe it is found in section three, paragraph 17 of the rain contract. But lately, I think Madame Rain has outdone herself and I wish she would relax and take a well deserved vacation. I recommend the Sahara desert.

I was looking out the window watching the rain come down like a flood when the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage came in and saw me.

“What are you doing?” she asked. “Trying to stare the rain away?” “If only I could,” I sighed. I had gawked at the rain so much my eyes were beginning to flood. A person can only take so much rain before his soul begins to feel soggy and I had reached that place. I even sloshed when I walked. I hate sloshing.

I do not mind when raindrops keep falling on my head, it is when it floods my soul that I must draw the line. Of course, it is too wet to draw a line in the sand right now, so I will make a mental note to do that later.

My wife noticed I was a little gloomy about the weather and so trying to cheer me as best she could, said, “Well, you know, into every life a little rain must fall.” I suppose this was something Mrs. Noah told her husband to cheer him up. If my wife thought that would do it for me, she was still wet behind the ears.

“I don’t mind a little rain,” I retorted, “it’s this ceaseless flooding that has more than dampened my spirits.” One of the basic components of my philosophy of life is moderation. I really believe in moderation in everything. Well, almost everything. It is hard to be moderate when it comes to apple fritters. If God wanted me to be moderate about apple fritters why did He make them so heavenly delicious?

I do compensate for this extravagance by staying clear of broccoli as much as possible. I think it is a fair trade.

In everything else, however, I like to practice the discipline of moderation. A little bit here and a little bit there, is the motto of my life.

This brings me back to the rain situation.

While I was musing on this, my wife came in humming a hymn that, up until now, had been a favorite of mine: “There Shall be Showers of Blessing.” Under normal circumstances, I would have joined in, but this was not normal circumstances.

I know I should be thankful for everything, and I try, but some things try even the patience of Job, and right now, I feel more like Noah. I appreciate the little things in life. I want to emphasize that word, "little." It is the little things in life that truly make life worth living. Not all this deluge of rain we have been having. A little bit of rain goes a long way with me.

My wife was singing one hymn and I was singing another, "Rain, rain go away, come again some other day." I must confess I was a little weak with the "come again," but the "go away," was sung with great volume.

The matter how I sung that little chorus the rain kept coming down.

I know there is a purpose for everything under the sun. And I am often quite thankful that I am not in charge of this universe of ours. If I was in charge it would rain only when I wanted it to rain, which, may not be enough to keep the flowers blooming in my backyard. I would have it rain at my convenience.

Because of the rainy weather outside, I had plenty of time to think through some of these thoughts. What if I could control my world? What kind of world would it be? Then I began to think of good old Noah in the Ark. In reality, he had no control over the Ark inside or the weather outside. I suppose he could have complained about the rain. Much like I am doing right now.

Thinking this through, I begin to realize that it was the rain outside that Noah could not control that took Noah where God wanted him to be. Had Noah control of the rain he and his family never would have arrived where God wanted them to be when God wanted them to be there.

Even though my brain was a little soggy at the time, I began to understand certain things, particularly about God and His control over my world. When I allow God to control my circumstances, he brings me to a place that he wants me to be – a place of Blessing.

Slowly, but surely, I was beginning to have a new appreciation for the uncontrollable rain on the outside. It reminded me of one of my favorite passages in the Bible.

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV).

I can try to either control all of the circumstances in my life, or, like Noah, allow God to guide me and even drive me to the place of His blessing.

Dr. James L. Snyder, is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, 1471 Pine Road, Ocala, FL 34472. He lives with his wife in Silver Springs Shores. James is an award winning author whose books are available at https://amzn.to/2SMOjwO.

Call him at 352-687-4240 or e-mail [email protected]. The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com.

Dr. James L. Snyder, is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, 1471 Pine Road, Ocala, FL 34472. He lives with his wife in Silver Springs Shores. James is an award winning author whose books are available at https://amzn.to/2SMOjwO.

Call him at 352-687-4240 or e-mail [email protected]. The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com.