Rain

Today over dinner at work, I was caught by this article that I read. Guess what? Tears welled up in my eyes. Man!! Tried real hard to hide it from my colleagues! But it was a good article to read. Helped me understand the impact of having a Godly countenence. (If you guys don't mind reading a long story, do give it a read)

Today, I left my centre with very deep feelings. The analogy of the sand in the palm came to my mind. I often share this analogy with my friends. Have a palm filled with sand. Opened up your palm. After 5 mins, the sand will still remain on the palm. Now, close your palm into a fist. After 5 mins, you will notice that some sand has trickled down. Some sand is lost in the process of clenching the fist. Like in any relationship, if you handle it with love, with giving, with trust, with faith, with freedom, no sand will be lost in the process.

Hum... Understand? Hahahaha!!

Happy holidays for those staying in Singapore!! Enjoy the story below.

Rain Reminds Me of My Mother, by J Bordine

Her children stand and bless her. (Proverbs 31:28 NLT)

Rain reminds me of my mother. She loved rain. I guess I got that fromher. She was enthusiastic about most everything that grew, or that wasa part of the natural world. I didn't realize until she was gone howmuch she knew about all kinds of flowers and trees. I think she couldidentify almost any tree or flower. She would remark on the texture ofthe bark on trees or on the amount of shade a certain type of treeprovided. She knew how long trees lived — she warned us not to plant atree that didn't have a long life span. She knew the growing conditionsof an astonishing number of flowers. Even today, my mother's commentsabout plants continually pop into my mind when I go to the nursery —what will grow in what type of soil, whether it likes sun or shade. Iusually leave the nursery with more than I can get planted, because thesound of her enthusiastic voice is in my ear.

Like a lot of people in Texas, mother used hyperbole freely. In themornings she would say, "Isn't it a glorious day?" She liked to saythings were glorious. When she ate something she liked, you could counton her to say, "That's the best ____ I ever ate!"

Fortunately for me, I "caught" her enthusiasm for living in the worldday to day. As a result, I almost always wake up in the morning full ofanticipation. I listen to the doves cooing for a few minutes, a soundthat makes me happy (as does the sound of a train at night). I usuallyhurry out to the kitchen to see what has happened to the trees andflowers overnight ... what the light is like ... and which birds are onthe feeder.

My mother didn't like to shop. Once in a while she would take all ofher daughters on a shopping spree together, but I think it was her wayof trying to get it over with as quickly as possible. I don't rememberher looking at things to buy for herself (like I do when my daughterand I shop together), though I have many memories of her finding thingson the racks and bringing them for me to see. She seemed moreinterested in talking to the sales ladies than shopping. She knew someof those ladies by name, and they remembered her. She always took us toLitchinsteins, "the" department store in Corpus Christi at the time.One of the sales ladies, who looked rather snooty to me, alwaysrecognized her and greeted her like a friend. They would chat theentire time my sisters and I shopped.

Mom hated TV, and wouldn't allow one in the house until I was twelve.However, as she got older, she got a lot of pleasure out of watchingthe nature shows after she had worked in her yard all day. I believeshe had a happy life after her six children were all grown and gone andshe was living alone. A large part of her joy was because she couldwork in her yard and visit with those who lived nearby or walked by.

Her habit of talking to everyone as if they were a friend may have beenwhy she was attacked in her home. A man crawled in her bedroom window.When she went into her bedroom he attacked her, leaving horrificbruises on her arms. He had brought cord to tie her up and intended toharm her further, no doubt, but she began to pray in a loud voice forthe Lord to forgive him. He left.

When Mother was dying, she was very weak and could barely move orspeak. However, she lifted her hand and pointed to the ceiling and saidagain and again what sounded to me like, "Up, up!" I asked her if shemeant Heaven, and there was a twinkle in her eye that I knew meant yes.

I know when she got there she said, "Isn't this glorious?"

And now, as the years go by, when it rains, I think of my mother, and it's a glorious day.