The choice rain presented

Today I was on the back of a motorbike returning after a day of been present with the girls at lectures on genealogy. While on the ride, the heavens decided it was a great time to open up, letting heavy droplets of rain fall, slowly at first then faster and faster with great weight. 

In this moment I decided I had two choices… here I was in the middle of a rain storm, holding on for dear life with my body feeling very tense as the weaving between bikes, cars, cyclist and now rain puddles was uncomfortable. The speed, the approach, the sense that I was not safe in that moment. All this leaving knots in my stomach …. 

Choice One 

 To let go and let God. Say a Hail Mary, stop planning my funeral in moment of panic, to have trust in the driver and believe that if anything does go wrong the Lord will protect me. Feel the water hit my face, hands, body. Embrace the free shower and celebrate the beautiful official natural baptismal welcome to Vietnam. 

Choice Two 

To continue to hold on, say a few more Hail Mary’s, let the white knuckles bring comfort of the strength been enough to carry me until we reach the house. When feet firmly on the ground bend down in thanksgiving for making it. Then express concern of the driver and recover…. - Clearly this is would be my normal reaction to a situation like this!!  -

In that moment I was struck by the reality of my insight to take which path, a positive more embracing of the moment, handing over the Lord, embracing the reminding gift of baptism of listening to the spirit or one of letting the head rule with fear almost, anxiety…. 

Sometimes life like this ha. Storm clouds form and burst wide open before we can make our way from one place to another. We chase the rain up over the bridge, then back into the city where the sky shows again its pitter-patter face. So this is the season October puts forward; and I have to say, it’s not the best. Only hours into the month famous for showers, and we are already drenched. I’d roll my eyes if I wasn’t so worried about keeping them on the road. 

This morning my retreat took on a reminder about water, the gift and rather meaning of baptism. It through the passage (Mark 1:1-11) talking of beloved! The other day I was presented with the imagery of a seed planted within, deep in the darkness within and this journey will nourish this seed. Not saying I only have one seed, yet this seed… today I was reminded of the importance of this seed holding a sense of wondering why flowers can’t come on their own. 

Blossom through their seedling soil, they don’t need October showers to escort them. Maybe even grow without mud, the mess, the soil-sloshed days of grey. 

Don’t you wish there was an easier way? 

Then again what great lost that will occur….. 

That joy didn’t bud so often beneath muddy suffering, that the abundant resurrection life sprang up before even on dark hour of death?

I still do sometimes

Jesus knew what the rain was for. He knew there was no skipping it. And for the joy set before him, he endured death, even death on a cross. (puts things into perspective a little) 

When we got home, I see the water bouncing off the surface of the house, bouncing off the path we call road. Mostly I see the water running down me, running from my head little droplets making lines down my face …. Its hard to believe that the season is changing, that rain season is coming to an end and that summer will bring with it that single shoot to bloom. 

But, I do believe. 

Because in more than three decades of impossible seasons, He has shown without fail what the rain is for. He coaxes buds from the ground, raises beauty from the mess, reminds me there is no skipping it, convinces me this new life is worth every bit of hard rain. 

So today I continue to dance, to nourish the seed within as I embrace the offical welcome to Vietnam, along with an empowering experience with a prayer to the Lord that not only in the roar of the heavy droplets, but in the dipping, drenching of our baptism, call us to live into the new life that is your resurrection. Amen.