Sunday, May 3, 2009

Washington weather

"Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:" Eccl. 11:7
I have lived in western Washington for over 43 years and still can't stand the rain. I fully understand the verse above and love the sun. However the weather around here can more correctly be defined in Eccl. 11:3, "If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth,..." Ever since I was young I have wanted to move away to a sunny location. I vowed when I was a teenager that I would make my escape the moment I graduated from college. Then I planned on moving to Florida and going the a university and making my residence in sunny California. Well, it never happened. Instead I got married to a wonderful man from Wisconsin who fell in love with western Washington once the Navy brought him here. He never wanted to move anywhere.
There have been many times when I was so sick of the clouds and rain that I was just ready to pack up and take off to anyplace sunny. However, common-sense, my conscience, and the Lord interviened. God used his word to teach me to be content. Philippians 4:11, (Paul's writing, but my desire) "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." I know this means whatsoever state of living, but I like for it to mean the "state of Washington". And in I Timothy 6:6 God says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain." My desire to be a godly woman is so much stronger than my desire to live someplace where there is more sunshine.
Jerry often says to me "without the grey there wouldn't be the green." And he is so right. I don't think that there is anyplace on this earth that is more beautiful than western Washington on a sunny day. And I don't think that there is a people that appreciates the sunlight more than a true Washitonian. As a christian I know that this world is not my home and that some day (and for all eternity) I shall have a heavenly home with my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But while I am alive on this globe I am truly blessed by the truth of God's word, "Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun (and the Son)."