A Gray Day

Fall appears to have finally found its way to Northern Virginia. Two days ago it was 84 degrees and humid, but today has been a pleasant 55, rainy, with winds out of the northeast at 10 mph.

It seems like everyone around school has been complaining about the rain. Everyone except us northwesterners, that is. My fellow Oregonian Kenny agrees with me that this weather is great.

There is something comfortable about a good drizzly day. It makes you want to stay inside and read a book, which is an ideal situation for college students. This semester, I have 17 books for two history classes alone. Sunny days are wonderful if you can be out in them, but they are not nearly as nice to look at through a window.

It is interesting to look at the references to rain in the Bible (of which, by the way, there are 96). In almost every passage, rain is spoken of as a blessing from God. The withholding of rain was one of God's curses upon Israel's disobedience. Even Matthew 5:45, which says God "sendeth rain on the just and the unjust" is often misunderstood. Many people use it as if it means that bad things happen to everyone alike. But the first part of the verse says, "He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good...." Clearly both the rising of the sun, and the coming of rain are good things.

So, next time you are about to complain about the dreariness of a rainy day (which, in all honesty, even I sometimes do), think about God's blessing, make yourself a cup of hot chocolate, and read a book.