Rain, Rain, Go Away?

The View Right Now

It's raining right now.  Hard.  It's supposed to rain all day today and through the entire weekend.  These aren't the warm, tropical rains of Hawaii.  The rain is cold and wind driven.  It's probably from Alaska--which explains why it's so cold.  When I went outside to take this picture, I was quickly driven back inside.  You can see a spot of rain on the lens in the bottom right hand corner.

It's tempting to complain sometimes about the rain, but I never do.  Southern California is a beautiful place to live, but it is also a desert.  Rain is a precious resource down here and so I am always grateful for it when it comes.

When I was in high school (about 1991?), we were facing a severe drought in our part of Southern California.  Water restrictions were put into effect.  Our stake leaders promised us that if we worked on keeping the Sabbath day holy and fasted for rain, we would be blessed.  I remember they cited this scripture from the Bible:

"Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord."
If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit."
--Leviticus 26:2-4

I think they also reminded us of the story of President Lorenzo Snow who promised the pioneers in St. George that if they paid their tithing, they would receive rain--even though there hadn't been any rain for months.

I remember thinking that it was pretty bold to promise that if we kept the Sabbath Day holy and fasted, we would have rain.  But we did it as a stake.  The results were miraculous.  It seemed like it rained nearly every day for the next month.  We received enough rain so that the drought restrictions did not become necessary.  But it was an important faith-promoting experience for me and for many of the other members of the Stake as well.

So on this St. Patrick's Day, I will be thankful for the rain and enjoy the sound that it makes as it pitter-patters down on the roof and the windows.  I will be grateful for the sense of cleanliness that it brings to the streets and sidewalks.  And I will be grateful that, even though it's raining, the sun will still come out after the storm has passed.  =o)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!