Summer Storms

For weeks now our grass has progressively turned brown. Even watering it every other day has not made much of a difference. The heat mixed with the long dry days with sunshine beating on the grass has left it as crispy Saskatchewan prairie grass. But then a change began happening… the series of storms started through our area.

Summer storms have been rolling through with regularity in the last few days and the grass has been transformed. Everything has come to life again. What an amazing sight to see the green reappear after the weeks of brown. Everything is bouncing back again to its spring lushness. As the lightning and thunder moved over us in waves, the rain rushed from the clouds to cover everything. How can anyone tell the story of the sound of thunder and the crash of nearby lightning striking? It is simply amazing.

Last evening around dinner time there was a stillness and beauty all around us. The sun was beginning its decent in the west. Everything was so clean. It had rained during the day off and on. Then it began again. The sky darkened quickly and the large clouds came from the northwest again. Suddenly the wind rose with a violence not yet felt in days before. A new storm cell was moving through and buckets of rain began to fall.

Just moments before the radical change, an older lady was walking down our street. I wonder if she made it under shelter. It is a very long block and she wasn’t from our street. This storm cell had the speed of a passing automobile.

Within 30 minutes it was gone as it sped down to Lake Ontario 35 miles south of us. The sky brightened again and the old sun peeked through again. Now everything sparkled. It was fresh and new again. We headed off to sit for two hours in a baseball park.

Life is like that isn’t it?
Days and months go by where life is hot and dry. Disaster has come and even great losses have taken place. It is unpleasant with the intense heat. If only things would change… if only. Then the intense storms come – sometimes with one after another. There is thunder of threats just over the horizon – rumbling low and far away. Then you see the flash of lightning warning of more difficulties to come. The high winds of problems tear at our soul’s very fibre. At times in the middle of the storm it appears that we will never make it to the next hour let alone the next day.

Then there is peace. The clouds roll by and the problems are gone. The unpleasant dryness of our souls is gone. A new lushness is there to fill the old deadness that we had grown accustomed to.

I have come to realize that I need rain clouds along with the thunder and lightning in my life. The problems are good and will transform the dryness of the soul.

God has an amazing way to wash it all away with his direct approach. His timing is good.

Today as I looked outside the breeze is blowing lightly. It is cool and clean. There is a promise of good day ahead of us. It just began raining lightly again. AND everything is green and lush. Today I am “Singing in the Rain”.

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~

An interesting bit of history…

• In 1929 a new song was written that would transform some people’s attitudes and problems “Singing in the Rain”– (possibly written and performed in 1927)


• In 1929 the “Wall Street Crash of 29” took place – On Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929 the stock market crashed and many lost everything.


• On November 23, 1929 – “The Hollywood Revue 1929” opened and included the song “Singing in the Rain”


• For the next 10 years The Great Depression 1929 – 1939 would ravage Canada’s economic standing and many people would lose everything. My family was deeply affected by this but pulled through and survived.


• By the 1950s things were better than ever. The war was over and everything was new again.

Reference
1929
The Wall Street Crash of 1929
The Great Depression - Canada
The song “Singing in the Rain” - 1929
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 – released November 23, 1929
1952 Musical – “Singing in the Rain”

"Singing In The Rain" – Jamie Cullum’s Lyrics
I'm singing in the rain
Just singing in the rain
What a glorious feeling
I'm happy again
I'm laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The sun's in my heart
And I'm ready for love
For love
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
I've a smile on my face
I'll walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
Singing, singing in the rain
In the rain.

La...

I'm singing in the rain
Just singing in the rain
What a glorious feeling
I'm happy againI walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
I'm singing, singing in the rain
In the rainIn the rain