Rain (or lack there of)

South Texas is not inexperienced when it comes to hurricane season. Rain is expected every summer/fall in these parts. Residents living on the gulf's edge or out on the islands will board up their windows when necessary, but there is an aura of perseverance and/or denial when it comes to bad weather in this part of Texas because what we're always told will be a destructive storm just turns into a few showers here and there. And if for some reason a bad storm does hit, we're prepared for whatever comes our way. You have to be, if you choose to live in a "high-risk" area.

 {Hurricane weather in CC}

However, this year is playing out a little differently. As I sit here on my couch watching MSNBC's coverage of Hurricane Irene and thinking of all my friends that live up in or near NYC, I can't help but think of how lucky we were to get the short rain shower that showed up yesterday evening. This summer, South Texas has been DRY. Record droughts. Cracked earth that is begging for just a small drink of anything. A couple of weeks ago when Tropical Storm Don was sure to make landfall directly in Corpus Christi, our dry earth simply shut the storm down. Parts of South Texas got .5 in. of rain; others got nothing.

 {Watching Irene cause problems on the east coast}

As I was driving home from work in the rain yesterday, I couldn't help but think of the song "Gratitude" by Nicole Nordeman. In this song, Nicole sings about the people's need for rain, food, and peace, but ultimately turns back to the Lord, reminded that He always provides in His own way. These are the lyrics I could not get out of my head:

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

I put this song on in my car as I was driving and before I knew it, I was tearing up. This song convicted me, reminding me of what I really needed to be thirsting for. Now yes, our land does need the rain terribly. Farmers crops aren't growing, cattle are dying, families are losing the money with which they provide for their families daily needs. But could this drought we're having be representative of a people not thirsting after the Lord? And me personally, what am I thirsting for?

A little later in this song, Nicole sings, "We are blessed beyond what we could ever dream, in abundance or in need," and these words really stuck in my head. This is so true and yet I'm so quick to forget this when I'm too focused on work, the future, etc. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm grateful. Grateful for the 2 hour rain we got yesterday, for the many blessings God bestows on me daily, and for the little reminders that I'm supposed to be thirsting after Him and not after things of  this world.

Food for thought: What are you thirsting for these days? Could it possibly be time to re-focus?

 {Water collecting around the sidewalk at my apt. Hadn't seen this in a while!}