Washed by the water

Recently I "discovered" a beautiful song on my iPod. It was a Saturday afternoon and I had a lot of cleaning to get done. The sun was shining through our many and large living room windows, and it seemed only right that music should be playing while I scurried around and tidied things up. A great group called "Need to Breathe" has a good album that I downloaded quite a while back, and they seemed like a good upbeat option. Several songs into the album in the middle of dusting, a very catchy tune came on. I was mesmorized at first by the musicality, the beat, the singing. But then the message grabbed hold, and I had to listen again and again. Little did I know then what an impact that song would have on my life weeks later.

Yesterday, by 1pm, I had had one of the most chaotic, frustrating, angering, overwhelming difficult 12+ hours I can remember having in quite some time. It easily goes in the top 10 of all time since becoming a mother. Sorry, I won't share details or names here. It's in the past and irrelavant at this point. But all of my worst and most besetting sins of selfishness and anger were thrust in my face in the midst of confrontations with the weaknesses, failures, mistakes, and foibles of others. A sanctifying fire to be sure. At the time, it simply felt like a day dished up on a silver platter by the evil one himself.

Then the Lord spoke to me once again through this song. The chorus goes like this:

Even when the rain falls
Even when the floods start rising
Even when the storms come
I am washed by the water

Even when the earth crumbles under my feet
Even when the ones I love turn around and crucify me
I won't never ever let you down
I won't fall
I won't fall
I won't fall as long as you're around me

Even when the rain falls
Even when the floods start rising
Even when the stroms come
I am washed by the water


Perhaps it's one of those "had to be there" moments, but believe me, I had been in the midst of storms, standing in floods and pouring rain;the message of this song gave me so much hope. I will not fall; I am washed by the water.

A humorous follow up... By 5 or so I had cried all there was in me to cry, hadn't slept much the night before, had had a physically taxing morning, and an all around emotionally exhausting day. But I was "better now". I had to run to the grocery store to pick up a couple of things for supper, and saw our veterinarian there. My last encounter with her was the day she put our dear Major to sleep. It was a sad day. She was compassionate, kind, understanding. I wanted to tell her our wonderful news of the addition soon to join our family - a new puppy. I smilingly approached her, greeted her, and told her my great news. I left our conversation puzzled though, for while she seemed enthusiastic at my news, she looked at me with bewilderment and concern. It was only after we'd parted and I entered the store that I realized that I LOOKED like I'd been crying much of the day! I'd run off to the store without having so much as splashed cold water on my face or put drops in my eyes. "Poor thing... still crying over that dog? Or perhaps she's just one of those people who cries EVERY day? Who knows..." Ha! No matter. I will, to be sure, make sure it is a good day when we take miss Ellie in for her first vet check!