NEED WASHING??
A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She
must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced
image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that
gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the
earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the
awning and just inside the door of the Target.
We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature
messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I
got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt
and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a
child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my
day.
The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic
trance we were all caught in 'Mom let's run through the rain,'
she said. 'What?' Mom asked.
'Lets run through the rain!' She repeated
'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a
bit,' Mom replied.
This young child waited about another minute and repeated:
'Mom, let's run through the rain,'
'We'll get soaked if we do,' Mom said...
'No, we won't, Mom.. That's not what you said
this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.
This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain
and not get wet?
'Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy
about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get
us through anything!'
The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you
couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came
or left in the next few minutes.. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would
say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some
might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation
in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be
nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.
'Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing,' Mom said.
Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and
laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They
held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got
soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like
children all the way to their cars.
And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.
Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories every day. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an
hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire
life to forget them. Send this to the people you'll never forget.
It's a short message to let them know that you'll never forget them.
Take the time to live!!!
Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when
you'll need each other -- and don't forget to run in the rain!
