Rain on the Party

Just as we took the risk of moving all our tables, chairs, balloons, posters, dishes, etc. outside on Sunday afternoon for Julia's party, the blazingly bright day began to rumble.  Within 15 minutes clouds rolled in, and rain began.  We live in relatively small (apartment-sized) homes, so when 25 or 30 people are over for a party, it is pretty essential to be able to go outside.  I remember very vividly a similar rain-soaking Bday-drenching many years ago, and being completely undone.  This time I won't say I was a paragon of calm virtue, but a decade in Bundi has had some effect, and I did have the presence of soul to keep praying "God, you know what we can handle, and how much this means to Julia, and this is completely out of our hands, so we trust you."  Even though I didn't necessarily FEEL that way.  Everyone helped ferry the plates and food inside, we sat on the floor, and the rain abated to a mild drizzle in time for games.  

Rain on a party may not seem like a very noble trial for a missionary.  But I think it is a concrete parable of so much of the faith-challenge of life.  We are not usually risking death from ebola.  We are instead, most days, facing interruption, disappointment, lack of control over plans, worry for our kids, the struggle to make things work out for everyone in the best way.  We are, most days, hoping for a bit more sun and sadly soggy when the rain comes instead.

Whether it is other people's choices or needs, or mechanical failures, or sicknesses, or corruption, or lack of supplies, or muddy roads . . .there are many times we look up at the gathering clouds and wonder if we can manage yet another storm.  These are the moments when we are called to say:  I would not have chosen this rain, Lord, but you see more than I do, deeper and further and longer.  So I can only choose to trust that you have not stopped it for good reasons which I may or may not ever understand.  Help me to slosh on.

In Africa, Scott reminded me, rain is a blessing not an annoyance to party plans.  So the prayer may be extended:  help me not to just slosh on, but to find Your rainbow to climb through this rain, the splintering spectrum of light which makes even our daily disappointments moments of beauty.