Sun and Rain/Son and Reign

Today has been a beautiful, reigny kinda day.  :)  I really like rain.  It kind of soothes me, soothes my soul, my nerves.  I get to enjoy it so much during this period when I'm raising my kids, from the cozy closeness of a twin-bed as I nestled in with my little one for a catnap earlier.  Not a day goes by I'm not grateful.  Rainy days remind me of who REIGNS...God!  Yesterday was election day.  Of course, I voted.  I mentioned that yesterday.  I'm reminded and I hold to the scripture in Daniel 2:21:  "He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars."  I continue to pray for our country, for all people in this country, and for our president and vice president, and more intimately, for my people in my little world.  My babies and my man.  My brother and his family.  My closies.  Myself.  Because heaven knows, I need to better myself.  Time is marching on, and my kids are growing fast.  Nobody can change me but me (God in me).  And it is high time.  Speaking of....

A friend came over today and needed to talk...a hug...a prayer.  Before she showed up, I was thinking, "Oh nooo!  I am really not filled up today.  I can't possibly offer her anything good because I'm not filled up myself!"  Some very near and dear friends and I have been discussing how important it is to take care of ourselves (spiritually) so we can take care of our families (and in this case, friends).  I hope I was able to impart something good to my girl.  In the end, I cried for her when she left the room, because my heart aches for my loved ones who ache (also because I can relate on some levels)...and I hugged her tight before she left.  I told her I'd pray.  I fed her a grand meal of cheese and crackers as we talked about stuff like kids' dental appointments and the aforementioned presidential election.  We talked about love, lack thereof, disappointments, improvements, parenting, weight, food, and that big thing called hope.  Hope that there are better, happier days ahead for her and the people in her world.  I pushed her to take care of herself, ever so briefly mentioning, how recently I have barely taken care of my  own self...or how messed-up I am as a wife and momma some days.  I've told her before-- I wasn't trying to withhold my true self.  I just knew she needed an ear today rather than a fellow grumbler.  (Not that she was grumbling, and even if she was, rightly so).  I guess what I'm saying is I knew she needed to know that I know that I know that there IS HOPE.  

Anyway, after she left and the rain completely stopped, out came the sun.  And it's one of those sonshiny days when everything outside suddenly looks kissed by warmth.  Even though it's 40 degrees out.  The sun (son) shines, and because of that, the world looks warm now.  And I don't know quite how but I feel a little more filled up. So very glad for the son. 

I wish I had taken this 20 minutes before when nature was glowing, but do you still feel the warmth?