Of Rain and Words

This really happened today, and I find I must tell of it. As I drove out of my driveway, on my way to pick up a friend and take her to her doctor’s appointment, wind gusts tumbled leaves and large white magnolia blossom petals across the ground. Heavy clouds made it like evening and rumbled and boiled. A day of storms was predicted. I prayed for no rain until my friend got safely into my truck, a process that takes time because of her mobility issues.

My friend was coming down the sidewalk as I arrived, slowly with the aid of her cane. I hopped from the driver’s seat, ran around, pulled out the small stool and placed it for her to use to get into the passenger seat. I held the door, and she used it for leverage, as thunder rolled above. Once she was in the seat, she was able to turn her legs into place. I threw the stool into the rear seat, closed the door and hurried to get behind the wheel. There was no rain, not one drop, and no wind either for those minutes. When I drove the truck onto the street, raindrops started on the windshield.

It rained steadily all the way to the doctor’s office. Once there I drove under the shelter of the portico for unloading patients. I then parked in the lot and used my umbrella, but the rain was light as I returned to the building. An hour later when we came out of the building and I went for the truck, the rain paused. Once again beneath the portico, I helped my friend into the seat, and the weather was quiet, no wind and only a bit of rain.

On the drive home the rain became much heavier. We decided to use the drive-through at Chicken Salad Chick restaurant. As I lowered my window to order, the rain again became light and none came in the window. When we arrived back at my friend’s home, the rain was light but the wind had picked up, whipping my hair as I got the stool and put it in place. I took firm hold of the passenger door to keep it from slamming on us.

Lord, please stop the wind and rain until she gets inside, was my thought.

My friend set her feet on the pavement. The rain stopped and the wind died. All was quiet as my friend held on to my arm on one side and used her cane on the other, and we went together up the walk.

“I prayed, did you?” She shot me a grin.

We said good-bye at her door, and I turned for my truck. The rain and wind had begun again, but I could run for it.

I have many times in my lifetime prayed for rain to pause, and it has done so. I have also prayed for rain to start many times, but the results for that have always taken a lot longer.

If you do not ask, you do not receive, and nothing is too small to pray for. Just passing along my experience for when you might need to do the same.

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Grace and Peace,