Learning to dance in the rain

      With full understanding that many of you reading this will worry about me, I want to share one of my New Year's resolutions.  All my resolutions tend to address the current things I am being wimpy about and then chart out how I will be less wimpy about those things. 
     
     This particular resolution stated that I will stop wining about rainy days.  Yes, a trite and silly resolution to most, but for me this will be a game changer.  To understand this resolution you must first understand my complete need for outdoor time.  Everyday.  More than once a day.  It sounds childish, I know.  I don't know why it has such a priority in my mind and heart.  I am almost certain my best memories involve the outdoors.  I am convinced that the boys fight less and explore more. We all breath deeper and think clearer while leaves are under our feet and branches hang above our heads. 

    When I am standing in our woods I feel small.  The oaks and pines tower above us, surrounding us on all sides.  It as if outside I am able to realize my smallness next to God's vastness.  His greatness is so much more evident.  His creation so much more awe inspiring then conquering the laundry or crock pot.  I am in His world and not my own.  And I love every bit of it...if the sun is shining, the wind is mild, and the temperature stays above 65 degrees. 

   Ah, you say, there lies the wimpy, conditional, "if" statement.  No kidding, full days and parts of vacations have been mourned if it rains and the temperature drops.  Jeff teases and then worries that weather can have such an effect on me.  We all worried when we read about Scotland's weather. The weather was mentioned as much or more than the castles dotting their beautiful land.  I read and reread that 25% of the days hold sun, only 25%.  I goggled the sunniest parts of Scotland and warmest temperature months recorded.  I then concluded that my silly resolution was not that silly.  And so began one of the best decisions of the year, all sixteen days of it.  To embrace the day outside, no matter the weather.  To hike, breathe, and explore in rain, snow, and wind.  

     The first time I told the boys it was woods time with rain drops still sliding down the windows they stared at me in shock.  "But it is raining!  You despise rain."  Not any more, I replied, this is perfect Scottish weather.  We gathered raincoats and boots and set out, the crunch of leaves muffled by the rain.   
  And we had a blast.  It might have been one of our best hikes yet.  We followed the winding creek further than we ever had before.  And a full hour later as we peeled off wet coats and muddy boots we were already planing the next days hike regardless of the weather.  Now, when rain pounds the ground or the skies mix into a wash of grey I tell the boys, look at this beautiful Scottish weather instead bemoaning the absence of the sun.  Maybe by Spring I will start to look forward to the rainy days as much as the sunny ones.  

    Jeff leaves for Scotland in less than two weeks!  We are still waiting on a revised budget and are excited to see what is next in this wild adventure.  The boys are thrilled about kilts, broad swords, Castles, and trains.  Please continue to pray that we will move forward in confidence and humility.  Pray for important connections for Jeff while he is there and belly laughing and skype time for the boys and I.  We will keep updating as we move forward.  

"For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.  In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.  The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land."  Psalm 95:3-5