Rain for Rain (The Small Gifts)

Yesterday we got to, once again, celebrate the official addition of Rain into our family, only this time it was with a big shindig, lots of food, and close to 100 people. It was so much fun! Now, we were sort of expecting that number of people, we invited them after all, but it was still just awesome to see everyone there, gathered together, celebrating with us. The love and support that our family has is truly amazing. From family, friends, church, we are surrounded by people who care about us, and those at the party were not all of our family, friends, church and people who love and care about us by any means. It was just a really neat experience to see everyone together, to see people smiling and laughing, to see the kids playing. It was great.

So, we expected people, but we didn't expect all the gifts and cards. It was amazing, the pile of gifts and cards that we received. People were coming up and asking me where to put gifts, and I had to just make something up because I wasn't planning on that at all. We got lots of awesome gifts for all 3 of the kids: Play-Doh, Towels, Learning Games, Flashlight Friends, and lots more, but there was one gift that really stood out for me, and it was one that I didn't recognize at first.

In addition to all the people who were present, God was there too, and He gave us rain. Yes, He gave us Rain, our daughter, but yesterday He gave us rain, as in the wet stuff that falls from the sky. Now, you may be thinking, "You were outside, in the evening, in the middle of monsoon season. It's not all that remarkable that you got rain." And you would be right. Honestly, I didn't really think much of the rain that started sprinkling and then pouring except that it meant that all 100 or so people had to crowd under the large metal awning in the park (which a few people pointed out was probably not the best place to be in lightning storm). They would have been right, except that for well over an hour that we were there, and it was raining (and most everyone stayed, which was awesome), there was no lightning, none whatsoever. We saw no lightning, we heard no thunder. It was rain and rain only. The kids were all able to go run in the rain, splash in the puddles, get completely soaked, and be completely safe. Everyone else was able to hang out, talk, laugh, eat for over an hour after it started raining, without feeling the need to leave and get inside in order to stay safe.

This may seem like a small thing, or nothing at all, but I genuinely can't remember the last time we had a storm without lightning, and it was really quite amazing to me, and it reminded me that God cares about us. He cares about the big things for sure, and we are usually quick to recognize the big things, like Rain's adoption, and give thanks and glory to Him for them, but we need to also be sure that we are keeping our eyes open all the time for the small things, for the little gifts that He gives us everyday. God is in the business of saving us, but He is not just invested in us at a macro level. He is invested in our daily lives on a micro level, every detail, every joy, every sorrow is important to Him. Sometimes He makes Himself known as a powerful consuming fire, but other times He is a soft whisper, and we need to make sure we have eyes and ears open to recognize both.

"Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights..." -- James 1:17a

 

"Then He said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.' At that moment, the Lord passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.  When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'" -- 1 Kings 19:11-13