By Karen Y. Stevens

“Bright sunshine and rain Lord, bright sunshine and rain. Every day we thank you Lord, for bright sunshine and rain.”

When I was growing up in church, we sang this song almost every week. Probably because the words were easy to remember. It did give me a “grounding” though, that we should praise God no matter what.

Sometimes it’s very hard to praise God, especially when it is interfering with our plans. Like all this rain! We would much rather bicker and complain about it, than thank God for it.

David, myself, and our kids are going to Destin, and this rain is really putting a damper on things. (Don’t worry robbers; by the time you read this, we will be back!)

You’re probably thinking, “well, that was poor planning on her part.”

“Going to Florida in hurricane season.”

“What was she thinking?”

When you must work around 4 adult schedules, it is what it is.

My friend is going thru a hard time right now, and we were talking about last week’s article. That just because you are facing opposition, does not mean you’re not in God’s will. Matthew 5:45 states that God sends rain on the just and the unjust.

Well, He certainly has done that this year.

I complain about the weeds in my flower beds, because of all the rain, but look at Houston. Some parts were under water, when that big storm past thru.

There is always someone, that is worse off than us, and we need to remember this.

We can always praise God that we don’t have flooding to deal with right now.

It reminds me of the book “Pollyanna” by E. Porter. Pollyanna’s dad was a missionary, and he taught Pollyanna to play the “Glad Game”.

In the story, when a Christmas barrel arrived, and Pollyanna wanting a doll, got a pair of crutches instead, her father made up the game, and told her to be glad she did not need the crutches.

A web site called “skills you need” states this about positive thinking; “Research shows that positive thinking really does have a scientific basis. You can’t change the world, but you can change how you perceive it, and how you react to it. And that can change the way that you feel about yourself and others, which can in turn, have a huge effect on your well-being.”

So, instead of us chanting the nursery rhyme “Rain, rain, go away”, we should be thinking of things that would make us glad about the rain, or whatever it is in our life, that we are complaining about.

I have decided that it will be cooler in Florida, because of the rain. I will also be able to do more shopping!

I have decided to play the “Glad Game” where every I go. How ‘bout you?

 

Karen Y. Stevens is founder of the Orange County Christian Writers Guild