Singin' In The Rain

Gene Kelly, one of the world's most extraordinary dancers appeared in the great classic movie musical, "Singin' in the Rain" decades ago. His flawless dance moves and smooth vocals set a standard of excellence that continues to inspire entertainers today. R&B sensation Usher, for example, performed a remake of Kelly's classic scene from the movie, putting his own touch on it, of course.

The scene that made the movie famous is the one where Kelly is literally singing, dancing, tapping, leaping, twirling, gliding and smiling in the rain. He has an umbrella, but he doesn't use it. He has an opportunity to take a ride in a cab to escape the rain, but he sends the cab away. It's as if he has decided that if he's going to get a little wet, he might as well go ahead and get soaked.

I know the feeling.

A rainy season started for me a few years ago when my grandmother passed away. Shortly afterward, my mom and cousin were fighting cancer simultaneously. My mom came out with victory on this side of glory, while my cousin--who is the same age as me--ended up moving on to the other side of glory, leaving three young children behind. The rain continued when I had a car accident two years ago, and the rain intensified over the last year and I've simply been getting soaked --two job losses, major surgery, the recent loss of my grandfather, followed only weeks later by the loss of my father on last Thursday, June 24, the day before my fifth wedding anniversary. His obituary will appear in the Washington Post tomorrow, July 1 -- my birthday.

Sometimes, when it rains it pours.

I know that God will not put on us more than we can bear and that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I also know that those of us who preach the gospel must live out the faith we preach about. So, how do I keep going in spite of the downpour? I follow Gene Kelly's advice,

Let the storm clouds chase,
Everyone from the place;
Come on with the rain,
I've a smile on my face!

How can I have a smile on my face? Because in between tears of sadness I cry tears of joy when I see God at work during my most challenging times. I start smiling when I think of how God took a fatal form of cancer that was supposed to take my dad's life 10 years ago and made it wait until God said it was time for dad to come home and I was able to hear him renew his confession of Jesus Christ as Lord.

I start singing when I reflect on how God took a difficult relationship with my stepfather that was so bad at one point that I would only refer to him as "step" -- leaving off "father" --to now moving beyond "father" and affectionately referring to him as "dad."

I can't help but dance when I think about how I had to undergo six months of physical therapy for my injuries from the car accident, followed by almost 6 months of recovery from major surgery last year, yet this past New Year's Eve I was able to use my entire body as an instrument of praise as the Shacah dance ministry and I danced powerfully to the glory of God.

I twirled and lept for joy just this morning when I went to settle a debt and was told that the balance would be forgiven and considered paid in full!

There are so many ways that God has been showing me that He has never left me nor forsaken me, even in the rain. I don't need to run from the rain. I don't even need to shield myself from it. I just need to keep singing and dancing between the teardrops and the raindrops knowing that I'm actually singing and dancing under the shadow of the Almighty, for as Psalm 63 says, "I think how much you have helped me; I sing for joy in the shadow of your protecting wings."

BNcouraged!

Rev. Karen