One of my favorite songs ever is Kevin Fowler’s 100% Texan. The song starts with “Well I love the sound of a rain on a tin roof on a hot summer night, love to hear those hound dogs a-barkin, howlin at the full moon light, Love to see those fireflies a buzzin, Lighting up the southern sky.” For whatever reason I can feel the comfort of the rain on that roof, the comfort a good rain should be.
It was only a few months ago that the historic rains in our area were responsible for the death and destruction of the small town of Wimberley, Texas. The storm was horrific and just as they were completing a big part of the repairs the most recent rain came. Again the rain was record level and for many the hard work was ruined.
For the last several years every time it rains I get stressed out. There are these leaks around my house and the small office out back that just won’t go away. I get obsessed with checking for moisture, feeling the carpet, listening for the faint drip, drip, drip on the ceiling in our bath. I have fixed some of them over the years but there are those rains that come that blow the water into the unseen places I just can’t seem to find. This last week with a record rain and wind the water came in. It has been a long last few days cleaning up the mess.
I have wanted to complain and just allow this aggravation to take over. I have in the past allowed the angry and dark spirit around me take out everyone around me. It was terrible. It happened for years and how my wife and those around me kept for killing me in my sleep is just a flat out miracle, for me. The symptoms of fear, un dealt with issues, choosing not to do the things I could do to get to a better place in my walk with Christ and heart kept me there for a long time.
I know that a small leak is not the end all. There are others who had feet, many feet of water in every room. Think through the though of what all would happen if you have 12 – 24, 48” of water in your whole house. My biggest problems come when I ignore the leaking areas I know are a problem for a period of time. This summer it was dry for months and I put off the work I needed to do to prepare for the rains that always come in the fall and winter. I know these things exist, I know the damage gets worse and the problem does not go away unless I work on it.
Today my anger and frustration levels have gone way down, my wife is my gauge and she tells me I have gone from red, to yellow to green. We are the ones our families and loved ones rely on when the rain comes and we need to be ready. I was in the attic today, I have a variety of sealants from the supply house and I am working on figuring out the water problems. My day also started by the pond reading my bible and some time in prayer asking God to help me with the life leaks I am struggling with. It was good. I love that time with Him and it matters.
Brothers, prepare for rain. If you have things that you know need attention, work on them. Now. The rain will come, the hard things will come and if you are not working on the leaks, those places we fight to keep dry and in order, it won’t be good. We will never get past the things we don’t work on, the leaks don’t just go away.
