let it rain.

the skies have been grey for hours.  the thunder has been booming above me since i've been sitting on the porch.  although the forecast calls for a clear evening, shows sunny skies, and only a 20% chance of rain, i'm choosing to believe they are wrong.

its ironic that the rain begins to fall as the sun is blaring its reflection on my laptop screen from above the porch overhang.  it's 90 degrees and i'm in jeans and two shirts.  needless to say, i'm sweating sitting out here, but our a/c has been out of 5 days, and the smell of the rain is intoxicating to my spirit.  i love the sound it makes as it cascades all the way down the leaves and branches of the huge trees in my front yard. it has yet to bring that coolness that is usually ushered in with early-summer showers...

... and just like that, Jesus knows how to speak to me.  sweetly and tenderly, yet mighty and strong.  just like these thunderstorms.  i quickly tore off my over shirt and stood on my sidewalk, arms stretched towards the heavens, and rain kissing my face.  but it wasn't enough.  i ran inside, shed my jeans for some athletic shorts, grabbed a towel from the porch and ran to the side of the yard, just hidden enough so the neighbors wouldn't think i was crazy.

i sat and giggled and prayed and sang.  i watched as the raindrops created cheetah spots on the wooden privacy fence beside me, slowly turning all the wood to that darkened, wet, natural color.

Your peace is the melody, would you sing it over me now?

i don't know when it happened: when we became conditioned to not play in the rain.  but there is something about it that is so unnatural.  we shudder from every drop, quick to make it to the car or house in the midst of a downpour.  we cover our heads more from rain than in the threat of a tornado warning or in a way we don't even shield our face from the sun (which could actually cause damage).  so sitting in the midst of an afternoon rainstorm was not exactly natural, in the physical, but felt so, so natural in my heart.  it was, ironically, exactly what i needed. 

my heart giggles.