One of my daughter’s Montessori teachers once shared a bit of wisdom:
“There is no bad weather…only poor clothing choices.”
LOL.
Bearing that in mind, I peered out the window at the cold autumn rain, put on my walking shoes and grabbed my umbrella. Accompanied by my knitted woolens, I ventured off to the park ~ my favorite place for contemplation.
Today would be a quiet meandering. As most of the world would be tucked inside their cozy spaces.
The flaxen glow of a lamp illuminating a kitchen table. Steam rising from a mug of coffee. Or someone sitting in their favorite armchair reading the paper. Maybe the weather section ~ chilly today. A high of only 40°F.
I stepped out into the brisk, early morning air and I came alive.
Raindrops cold, fell to kiss the warmth of my face.
I could almost hear them say:
‘Welcome to the day, dear one.’
Welcome to the day!
Walking on the pavement, I veered away from the puddles.
Some of them inches deep. Bubbles floating, echoes of raindrops that had broken the surface. Silver-white reflections of the wet and dreary sky above.
Almost music, tiny water droplets fell in synchrony.
They danced on the nylon dome taut tightly overhead. A rhythm of the changing seasons.
But as I gazed out onto the world around me… I could see it.
Falling.
Raindrops from the sky. Leaves from the trees. Clouds hanging heavy from the atmosphere.
Gravity pulling.
Downward toward the earth.
A visual metaphor for the falling of man.
When sin entered this world.
God’s perfect Creation now tainted. Remnants of the enemy.
Distant from steps on wet leaves and musty soil, we see the groaning all around us. In the struggles of humanity.
An overarching ache.
We have all been touched by tragedy in some way.
We become worn by the winds of worry. Saddened by suffering. Longing for rest in the midst of the rains of this world.
Seeking shelter.
Praying for peace.
Romans 8: 18-19
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the Glory that is to be revealed to us. For the Creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
I think of my brother.
He is thousand miles away.
Walking.
Wandering.
Homeless in this world.
Despite the well-meaning offerings of family and friends he has opted for this lifestyle. He prefers this rugged and primitive experience.
This is where he has chosen to land.
I can only imagine his world through the lenses of my own life and understanding.
To him, he is following his heart.
To his family he follows a path of uncertainty.
To him, he is finding his place away from the mechanism of man.
To his family, we wonder if he will ever find his way home.
…
From the moment we are breathed into being, God has given us the ability to choose.
That is the gift.
We choose what voices we will listen to.
What truth we will follow.
What conviction will lie steadfast in the harbor of our hearts.
And as we wrestle in the falling, we have a choice to see this human existence from two very different vantage points.
One of suffering.
Or one of hope.
As sin causes the physical limitations in this world, so too can our perceptions be slighted.
Easily mirrored by the pain that we see, our thoughts can be taken captive.
Like an old 35mm film strip we are only able to view the negative of our lives. A reversal of the images before us.
An alteration of God’s intention.
We see the world through lenses of lack.
The falling ~ now paired with an unfavorable outcome.
Perhaps we see a falling down of society. Of this world.
A falling apart of our lives.
A falling short.
Maybe, a falling through the cracks. Of women. Of children in need.
…
But the story of God’s redemption wasn’t meant to end there.
Not with the filters of sin left on.
Instead, He sent His Son so that we could witness the hope of eternal salvation. Salvation in Christ Jesus. That we might come to know the wonder of His Glory and the anticipation of eternity.
Suddenly, when we choose to accept Grace…everything changes.
The fall that was once a hindrance, now becomes an indication of greater things to come!
The promise of His Sovereignty.
A cause for celebration.
The fall of man was transformed by God’s awesome and relentless love.
We begin to recognize this heavenly capacity as our lives become marked by redemption.
For with the fall, like autumn, death begets new life in spring.
New Life in Christ.
We fall into His arms. Embraced by the One who came to save us all.
We see our stories falling into place when we recognize the bigger picture. God’s beautiful, better-than-we-can-ever-imagine Mercy plan.
And with Scripture to guide us, we can fall back upon the promises of the Word.
Promises that remind us that soon we will all be truly home.
Romans 8: 24-25
For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Back from my walk, I grasp the handle of the front door and push it open.
I step inside and return to the calm of our nest.
The the gentle pitter-patter of rain on the roof. The smell of hot, spiced tea steeping in the pot on the stove.
The quiet purring of our cats as they rub up against me. Figure-eights around my ankles.
They are happy that I’m home.
…
Imagine the joy of our Father when we arrive, His arms flung open wide to receive us.
And we will feel Peace wash over us as we hear Him say,
“Hallelujah, you’re home!”
…
The simple comforts we know here on earth can not begin to compare to the rewards that await us in Heaven!
For amidst the storms of this life, we are challenged to remember that this is merely a temporary existence of space and time.
One of raindrops and umbrellas.
This is but the blink of an eye.
Instead of the here and now, we have a glorious place to land in the end.
For if we answer His call to keep our eyes on eternity we will surely find it.
Our forever, warm and dry, eternally loved and wrapped-in-goodness home with our Savior!
My Sweet Louise 
Please share your thoughts.