Rain

Dolly Parton once said: "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."

Yet with a April/ May that we've already had in my part of the country, around the US, and the world, sometimes it is hard to trust in such a fact.

I just heard last night on the news that my area has experienced more rain this May (more than any other spring in the last 10 years). Already our rain fall totals, make this May the top five wettest Mays on record. Wow!

While our house had not received flood damage, there are several homes in our community which have. Images of people floating around on rafts in their neighborhoods have filled the evening news.

But, not only here. It seems that every time I'm preparing to give a pastoral prayer over the past several weeks, I've been forced to mention a particular group of people suffering as a result of a natural disaster like tornadoes and floods in the Midwest and cyclones in Burma. It is mind boggling to to take in when you really think about it. People are dying in grief. Many continue to struggle to find food and shelter, simply because the weather has led them astray.

Where is God?

Where is hope?

Where is the possibility of a bright future?

It's hard to know, sometimes . . .

The more I think about it though, the are moments when rainbows can be found even in the tragedy of loss. I have seen this in the goodness of human community.

Comments made to me by friends who usually aren't in the giving spirit asking me if my church is taking up a relief offering for Burma. They echoes of human sadness have touched their hearts to the point in which they want to connect through giving.

Stories on the news of families bonding together, looking out for one another to make the best of the bad circumstances facing them in the future. Sharing what they have.

Efforts of relief organizations with humanitarian workers on the ground in treacherous area, willing to give of their time so that others might know that someone cares for them.

All of these pictures give me hope. The hope that beautiful days of rainbows are coming. Yet, my belief, is that rainbows come more quickly as we all do what we can to to connect to our human brothers and sisters around the world who face deep loss. We must all do our part.