Who doesn't know that "April showers bring May flowers"? However, I'm thankful that it is not just the showers that cause pretty flowers to grow. This past weekend we had beautiful seventy-degree, sunshine-y days and it was exhilarating. My husband biked 50 miles on Saturday and afterward the boys and I met him at an outdoor musical playground to play for awhile. We made lots of noise and sat in the sun. It was nice. Sunday afternoon my husband biked 27 miles and still had energy left over! So, we took the boys for a hilly walk to a nearby park. They both ran around, climbed, slid, and swung. I hopped on the swing, too, and while I loved it, I couldn't believe that as I soared I also got a little nauseated. I am old. We played for a couple hours and made the trek back downhill. It was perfect weather for the weekend.
Now it is Tuesday and I am looking out at the darkening sky, knowing that we are back to rainy days, at least for awhile. You know what's funny, though? If I lived in a place that God blessed with sunshine all the time, I don't think I would appreciate it as much. I wouldn't soak up each drop of ray, I wouldn't feel an urgency to get outside and play in it. I would go about my business, assuming that tomorrow would be just as beautiful.
Isn't it the same way with life? If my life were all sunshine and no rain, I wouldn't learn to appreciate the special refreshing of the sun! I wouldn't bother to treasure each blessed, fleeting moment as it arrives. I would take for granted that life would still be peachy tomorrow. And you know what else? If there was never rain, I wouldn't grow. I need April's showers, just like those flowers that come in May. It is the difficulties in this life that press me on, mold me, sharpen me, and yes, even break me. I need those hardships to become the flower that God intends me to be! So, while I cherish the sunshine, I can also appreciate the rain and the importance it plays. It is essential both to the flowers, and to me.
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