They Ran Through the Rain Believing
Bob Perks
Copyright 2001; Bob@bobPerks.com
She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful brown haired, freckle-faced
image of innocence. Her Mom looked like someone from the Walton's or a
moment captured by Norman Rockwell. Not that she was old-fashioned. Her
brown hair was ear-length with enough curl to appear natural. She had on a
pair of tan shorts and light-blue knit shirt. Her sneakers were white with a
blue trim. She looked like a Mom.
It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the tops of rain
gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the Earth it has no time to flow down the
spout. Drains in the nearby parking lot were filled to capacity and some
were blocked so that huge puddles laked around parked cars.
We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the
Wal-Mart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed
up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rain fall. I get lost in the
sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world.
Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child come pouring in as a
welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.
Her voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught
in. "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said.
"What?" Mom asked.
"Let's run through the rain!" she repeated.
"No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.
This young child waited about another minute and repeated her statement.
"Mom. Let's run through the rain."
"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.
"No we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl
said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.
"This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get
wet?"
"Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you
said, "If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything!"
The entire crowd stopped dead silent, the sound of the rain was nearly
deafening. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few
minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.
Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even
ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young
child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will
bloom into faith.
"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If God allows
us to get wet, maybe we just needed washing," Mom said. Then off they ran.
We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and
yes through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just
in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few believers who
screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars . . . perhaps
inspired by their faith and trust.
I want to believe that some where down the road in life, Mom will find
herself reflecting back on moments they spent together, captured like
pictures in the scrapbook of her cherished memories. Maybe when she watches
proudly as her daughter graduates. Or as her Daddy walks her down the aisle
on her wedding day.
She will laugh again. Her heart will beat a little faster. Her smile will
tell the world they love each other. But only two people will share that
precious moment when they ran through the rain believing that God would get
them through.
And Yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.
"And they waited for me as for the rain; and
they opened their mouth wide as
for the latter rain." Job 29:23 (KJV)
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