Friday night as Bethany and I sat on the couch in our living room watching The Bourne Identity, I saw a flash of light down our long hallway through the window. It was a bit spooky sitting there watching an action flick and seeing a flash of light enter the second story of the schoolhouse, but after thinking it through I came to the conclusion it was lightning... which the thunder soon confirmed. As the thunder intensified, I looked over to Bethany and said "What do you think about pausing this and going up to the roof and watching the lightning?"
Soon we were both standing on the roof watching the lightning from the distance streak across the sky and sharing our amazement over the wonders of the power of God. A few moments after standing on the roof I thought I felt a drop of water hit my arm... and I looked over to Bethany half laughing to say "I think I just felt a raindrop.... but that'd be impossible (since it is dusty season = no rain) so I must be going crazy imagining rain since I haven't seen it in so long."
As we continued to talk, a minute went by and I felt something hit my back... and I knew this time it was not my imagination. I screamed out "It IS raining! That drop definitely was not my imagination." Sure enough, the drops were soon sprinkling down on the two of us :) I was so excited, but it was only sprinkling and I was so hopeful that it would be more than a sprinkle... and then the winds kicked up and Bethany and I gazed toward the lightning as the rain doused us. We stood there shivering until I decided I needed to run downstairs for a sweatshirt. As I ran downstairs the thought of the rain stopping and missing it made me rush to grab the nearest item that would keep us warm-- a pagne (a length of african fabric). Fast as lightning I was back to our roof throwing half of the pagne around a shivering Bethany and gazing at the storm again.
I do not remember ever feeling so happy and excited about seeing rain or feeling as cold as I did at that moment, but after living without rain or cold all winter... It was amazing to be able to witness the refreshing power of one rainstorm. This weekend looking at the plants and trees, I feel as if everything is greener again already, just from the small amount of rain on Friday night.
Thank you God for RAIN!
