Walking in the Rain

Christian, nature, photography, poetry 1 Minute

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Walking in the Rain

Putting one foot in front of the other

is sometimes all a person can do

during a dreary spell of life.

Or is it?

~

I like to be gentle with myself during the dark days of winter.

Not every coastal winter day is rainy and gray.

But, oh, so many are just that.

Dull.

~

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~

And I remember a melancholy season in 2001

when I let my faith wither

to the point of forgetting to be

thankful.

I learned a lesson

when that dull spell turned disastrous.

Within days I was stationed at a hospital bedside.

My baby daughter was battling pneumonia.

I repented of my lack of thankfulness;

 prayed fervently for my baby; and rejoiced as she recovered.

Since we had a private room,

I even sang a few songs to her.

She was too young to notice I didn’t have musical talent.

~

Be joyful always;

pray continually;

give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

~

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Now when the dull days of winter oppress me,

I press back with

faith, thanksgiving, and praise.

I don’t want to repeat that lesson.

I’ve been teaching my daughter, by example, to find things to be thankful for–always.

~

Walking in the rain

knowing the sun will return

umbrella of faith 

~

Wendy ❀ 2015

~

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I realize my daughter didn’t get sick because I was ungrateful.

But that experience has stayed with me,

and I’m consistently more thankful.

What are you thankful for today?  

I’m thankful for a dear blogging friend, Natalie,

who included a poem of mine in one of her lovely posts.

If you haven’t met Natalie yet,

then you need to get on over to her blog.

Here’s a link: Natalie’s blog

~

Rainy day blessings ~ Wendy ❀

~

Wendy & Kara

~

I was so honored when my teen daughter

 asked me to do the photo booth with her.

 ~ ❀ ~

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~ ❀ ~

Published by Wendy L. Macdonald

Living for Jesus, loving Him, and listening for His voice bring me great joy. I'm an inspirational writer, blogger, and podcaster who also loves to photograph creation. ~ My faith is not shallow because I've been rescued from the deep. ~ Blessings ~ Wendy ❀ http://www.wendylmacdonald.com

Published

50 thoughts on “Walking in the Rain”

  2. Beautiful as always Wendy and the photos are exquisite and very calming. I would love you to do a book of all your blog photos!

    I had a spiritual mentor who sadly died in December somewhat unexpectedly. I felt devastated at first but now just keep rememberng the two things he told us every day – “don’t forget to be gentle with yourself and at the end of each day say thank you to your God for at least one thing, even if that one thing is saying thank you for getting me through the day” 😊 I miss him x

    Reply

    1. ❀ Christine, I’m so sorry your time with your friend was cut short on this side of heaven. I love the advice he gave you. And he would be honored to know you’ve remembered it and passed it on.

      Thank you for the book idea. I’d love to make a coffee table one with colour pictures and inspirational micropoetry & scriptures (one day). <3

      Reply

  3. I am so glad I read this post! The wisdom of being thankful. That is so true. It is like medicine that restores our souls. I enjoyed looking at the pictures of you and your daughter, too! Both you and Natalie faithfully remind me that there is so much to be thankful for.

    Love and Blessings,
    Theresa

    Reply

    1. ❀ Theresa, when I catch myself grumbling doing housework, I stop and give thanks for the ability to do it. I knew a lady, years ago, who had had a severe stroke. She missed taking care of her own place. You’re right that thankfulness is a “medicine that restores our souls.” xo

      Reply

  4. Yes, the sunshine will return, Wendy. We must be patient as well as thankful. Today my world is coated in a layer of ice from a sleet storm, and I’m hoping the sun will appear so I can capture some of the glitter. Love your pictures! <3

    Jennifer xo

    Reply

    1. Dear Jennifer, I thought of you yesterday when CBC radio was talking about your weather. I look forward to seeing your wintry pictures, as I’ve enjoyed your other ones so much. Warm hugs from a temperate rain forest. <3

      Reply

  5. Sage advice and you have a great attitude Wendy! We’ve been having sunny and warm days for a couple of weeks here in Calgary, but that ends today! Love the photo booth pictures! <3
    Diana xo

    Reply

    1. Diana, my attitude garden needs weeding regularly. ❀ But I’m learning to pluck out those rogue seedlings sooner than later. Stay warm, dear friend, as your weather changes. <3

      Reply

  9. Wendy:

    I can picture you singing to your very young daughter when she was ill. I imagine the tender mother-love that is incomparable with any other.

    I looked at Natalie’s site; precious, meaningful posts. Please introduce us.

    ~ Richard

    Reply

    1. Richard, I’m so glad you visited Natalie’s blog. I know she would love your poetry and photography, as I do.

      By the way, my daughter is taking singing lessons along with her piano ones. It should undo any damage I did singing to her. 😉

      Reply

  13. This is a very touching post, it is so dull as I write in Poland, grey, no sun, You just remind me to be gentle with myself and others. Thanks Wendy. Peace and love and light and….. Wanda :)))

    Reply

  15. Lovely thoughts, Wendy. Love the raindrop photo! Too sweet of your daughter to spend time with you. I’m thankful for the hope we have in Christ, that no matter how dark the night seasons of our lives, He gets us through and restores, renews. Would that we could learn, through a heart of trust & gratitude to God, to rejoice in the midst of any storm. Might I add a continuation to your beautiful haiku?

    Dancing through the storm
    Splashing away dark puddles
    Galoshes of hope

    Reply

    1. Sue, I love your haiku. It would go perfectly with a picture of a child clad in a yellow raincoat, yellow boots, and a rainbow umbrella (splashing through a huge puddle–of course). Thank you for your blessing. ❀ “Christ in us–the Hope of glory.”

      Reply

  16. This is FULL of wonderful, Wendy–love the photos and the message. Being grateful is so crucial–we don’t have to be jumping up and down with Joy, but we can look for something to praise and thank God for “quietly”.

    Reply

  18. First of all this is a wonderful post and secondly thanks for the posting my link. When my daughter, Nikki, was about 3, she became very ill and nearly stopped breathing while I sat waiting to see the doctor. When I went to the front desk and asked the lady to touch her back and see how faint her breathing was, she grabbed by the arm instantly and ushered me back to a room. When the doctor came I, I began to cry and he turned as said, “You get it together, right now, Natalie. This baby will read your fear and her airway is already nearly closed off.” Then he gave her a shot and sent me straight to the hospital. So little air was getting into her lungs that she couldn’t even cry. So they admitted us to the hospital immediately and put her in tent like contraption with a cool mist humidifier.
    They would only let one of us stay in the room with her and so I sat on the edge of her bed all night long watching her little chest heaving for air. Finally about 5 AM, I hear her say with a bright and cheerful smile, “Hi mommy.” I replied, “Hi baby and explained that she was going to have to stay in her little tent for a day or two.” Okay she said and asked what we could do. I asked her what she wanted to do, and she said, “Let’s sing something, mommy.”
    So we started singing her favorite, “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” About that time a technician came in to check on the humidifier and when he opened the door, he started laughing. He said, “Lady, I’ve seen a lot of things in my life, but I’ve never seen or heard anyone singing Old MacDonald Had a Farm at 5AM in the morning.” I looked up and told him I was so thankful that my baby could breath and speak again that would have done anything she asked. He said, “Well you just keep on a singin’ then.” And then he left without even making fun of my terrible singing voice. What a guy! <3

    Reply

    1. Natalie, thank you for sharing your story about your daughter, Nikki. <3 I'm so glad your's had a happy ending too. There's nothing more frightening to me than when my children are terribly sick. My sons had never been that ill as babies, so it came as a huge shock when my daughter's cold took a turn for the worse. For the next few years I sat on pins and needles each time she so much as sniffled.

      It's so precious that your daughter asked you to sing with her. And I like the doctor's sense of humor too. ❀ Hugs sweet friend.

      Reply

  19. Wendy I actually like the rainy dull looking days I snuggle up inside and read a good book. I think your photos are also more dramatic too. I am forever thankful when I wake to another day, no matter what the weather brings. Raining here too and I love the sound of rain on a tin roof.

    Reply

    1. Kath, we used to live in a cabin with a tin roof. I liked being able to tell when the rain had stopped so I could pop back out into the garden or go work on the burn piles we’d formed when clearing a section of land. Gotta love the charming sound of rain on a roof. ❀

      Reply

  22. Another inspiring blog post, Wendy. When the dark days come, there is always a blessing hidden somewhere within them. If we keep on walking, in a loving stillness, we will find each one.

    Reply

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