Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines. Satchel Paige

As I write this article, it is raining outside. For a part of the country that has had only 3 inches of rain in the past year, the rain is more beautiful than one can put into words. It woke me up in the middle of the night and I doubt if an hour has gone by since that I have not offered multiple prayers of thanksgiving. I know that most of you have been overwhelmed with the same sense of gratitude and thanksgiving.

Now, we know that this little dab of rain is not enough. We have still had a year of drought. We have still lost most of our crops and much of our livestock. Our countryside has been plagued with fires since last winter and will likely burn some more before the drought has ended. We still need much, much more rain before our farmers can even think about planting the next wheat crop that is so vital for many of them to survive.

But... today it is raining and we are so thankful.

The measure of a faithful servant, though, is the ability to be thankful during the times that we are not getting those showers of blessings that we think we need. The measure of a trusting servant is the ability to see the travails, to empathize with those who are suffering as a result, but then to thank God for answering our prayers all along because He has, you know, He really has.

And we are so very thankful!

So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today - to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul - then I will send the rain on your land in its seasons... I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle and you will eat and be satisfied. Deuteronomy 11:13-15, NIV