After Sukkot (a Jewish holiday in the fall), the Jews pray specifically for rain to come and flourish the land. Normally it is so incredibly dry here most of the year, that there is a lot of uncertainty if the crops will make it through until harvest season (it's a matter of life and death in a lot of ways). On the last day of Sukkot, synagogues are filled with people celebrating with the Torah and calling out to God to send rain. Well, this year it certainly worked! Israel has gotten so much rain - more than it has in many years. Yesterday (March 1), my professor said that we have already gotten more than 50% of the rain needed for March in one day! It has been raining continuously most days the last few months.
While we are happy for God to be blessing this land with rain, as it so desperately needs, we would be lying if we said we were enjoying it. We have found ourselves complaining a lot about how wet & cold it is - especially when it is pouring outside and the only option to get to school, the grocery store, or anywhere is to walk. Cars are not courteous and it almost seems as if they are trying to splash those of us walking to our destinations, with the pools of water that collect on the side of the streets. By the time we get anywhere, we are absolutely soaking. Before you go ahead and think how wimpy we have become since moving out of Michigan (come on! we should be used to terrible winters), let me explain that it is a different kind of cold here - it stays inside of you and it's rare to have a hot shower or be able to get warm even indoors. Also, apparently Michigan is having the most beautiful winter in years with temperatures in the 60s - go figure, the year we decide to move to Jerusalem it's the coldest and rainiest it's been here while the midwest is having an awesome spring-like winter (we're happy for you - kind of).
Anyway, all of that to say that in the midst of grumbling about the rain the other day on our 20 minute walk in the "torrential downpour" back from campus, my outlook suddenly changed...Maybe it's actually a pretty amazing blessing to be here at this time - the year that God has given this land the most rain it has seen in years! How cool that we are here right now to witness (and fully experience) it! Then, to make it even better, this morning when we got up, it was SNOWING - huge, fluffy flakes! Now that doesn't happen too often in Israel, and it was absolutely beautiful! Matt woke me up and we went for an early morning walk and enjoyed soaking up the picturesque views of the Old City, rooftops, and Hinnom Valley dusted with snow. Yes, it was cold and wet, but we didn't care today. God let us experience a moment that is rare and we got to be a part of it. I've been reminded a lot lately that perspective and a positive attitude changes things. Even during difficult times of life when things seem like a "downpour" and aren't ever going to clear up - it snows...a soft, peaceful snow that reminds me that God's blessings sometimes come in different ways than I would expect and are not dependent on my comfort or happiness. Sometimes when it rains, it snows and it changes the view completely.
 |
| snow in the trees - it's actually sticking! |
 |
| homes outside of the Old City. The Temple Mount's gold dome is in the distance. |
 |
| big snowflakes! |
 |
| Olive groves sprinkled with yellow spring flowers and snow! |
"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." {Romans 5:3-5}
No comments:
Post a Comment