walking in the rain . . . .

i've begun rising at 5 am in order to get my walk in each day.  one is suppose to have 8 1/2 hours of sleep per day as well . . . ain't gonna happen!

so tuesday morning i had to leave the house by 7 -- therefore, no blog that day, and the same for yesterday and today.  so, now, i am able to post this blog which has been on my mind since monday!

on monday, at 5 am, i could not detect a cloud in the sky ... but re-thinking this position, i should have realized that there was also no moon nor stars either ... hum; mental note:  check the sky for clouds clearly before walking!

1/2 way through my walk -- the heavens blessed me with a downpour.  walking in the rain . . . .

three thoughts came to mind as the rain began to soak my sweatshirt;
thought #1:  do i stop and walk home (ok, i get the idea here -- i would have had to walk home anyway, so why cut my walk short, as i was already soaked!) 
thought # 2:  this thought thanks to a recurring image of my mother when she saw people out in the rain . . . "doesn't have enough sense to come in out of the rain" . . . (ok, i get that too, but honestly, where would i have gone?  under someone's porch, under a tree, or run for my life -- that was absolutely NOT going to happen!)
thought #3:  "remember your baptism, and be thankful".  i knew deep down, spiritually speaking, that this was 'the third time was a charm' to my thinking, anyway.  i'm already wet, i'm doing something healthy and i'm  not splashing in any puddles -- i did checked for nearby pubbles, however; several times!  and i needed to get home in order to leave by 7.  keep walking!

so, away i went, remembering my baptism and being thankful.  what does that mean, anyway? 

well, to me, it is a reminder that i am blessed, loved, and graced with an opportunity to share the love of god with others.  there are times, believe me, when that message is easily forgotten.  what was this storm reminding me?  in united methodist circles, we 'sprinkle' rather than pour or dunk.  that morning, i was experiencing the effects of episcopalian baptism; they pour, as do some others.  but the episcopalians need my support and i need theirs, so, that's what i thought about.  i'm sopping wet, and listening to music, and walking; happy as a clam.  what could be better than this?! 

safely home, with a hot bath and a healthy breakfast (do I detect a 'healthy trend' here?), and i was ready to start my day.

reflection.  had i not experienced the 'remember your baptism, and be thankful' thought that morning, i might have experienced a different kind of day.  i have no idea what the day might have been like but i know what the day was like, and it was a wholesome day.  no matter what; grace.

my suggestion next time there is a storm . . . go walking in the rain!  be renewed, be reminded . . . and use an umbrella if you do not want a grace-filled day!  me?  i'm looking for another storm . . . .