Rain, rain go away

It’s been sunny this week which has been refreshing. Apparently I needed a little Vitamin D.  This was written last week on day #9 of consecutive rain. 

It has been raining for like the past 10 days. For reals. I know we’ve been in a drought and all, and I know that we desperately need H20 to refill our lakes, and rivers blah..blah..blah…But people, I have three young children. Young, outdoor-loving, need- to- run- and- ride- bikes- and- climb- things children. I realize I’m such a Californian (You Oregonians have my utmost respect!).

Forgive me for complaining but we’re gettin a little stir crazy over here, SO. OVER. IT.

With” El Nino- The First” a few years back, my former over-achieving mama self was on it. I channeled my inner kindergarten teacher and designed “Rain Camp” for my toddlers.  Spreadsheets complete with art activities, obstacle courses, refrigerator box forts, and themed snacks. I kid you not. It was epic.

I don’t know what has happened to me but that self is gone and this round of #elnino2016 I am just not feeling it. 

I am usually a stickler when it comes to screen time. Friends, we have watched HOURS of television and the boys have played so many video games that the Wii Star Wars Disney Infinity theme song might as well be a Pandora station at our house.

We’ve tried. Really we have. We have had ping pong tournaments, taught them pictionary, and the kids even got inspired by CUPCAKE WARS this weekend and created their own snowmen cupcakes and exhibit. That was fun.

For a moment yesterday there was hope when the sun shone for a whopping 2 hours. The minute I saw sun- the children were lovingly instructed to ride laps around the block and not come back in until they were sweating.

It was glorious until…the wind blew in and the rain began to pour again.

Needless to say, after our two days off of school and four days indoors this active mama was beginning to fidget.  To top it all off our two youngest woke up with sore throats and whiny attitudes one morning.  It was not pretty- lots of correction, bickering, and me nagging them from one thing to the next.

Just when I was about to text Daddy “S.O.S.” and have him come home to rescue our sinking ship I heard music being played from the back room. My oldest boy has a GIFT in music. He’s 10 and currently plays four instruments (the majority of which he’s taught himself). I’ve given up teaching him piano because he plays everything by ear and can compose songs more musically than I can after 20 years of training. Makes me mad.

That particular day though, that sweet oldest of mine began to play the keyboard and it was magical. In no time, he had figured out the melody to a song we listen to all the time in the car: “Be still”.

I recognized it the moment he started to pick out the notes. It was a Seeds Family worship song:

“Be still and know that I am God. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth” Psalm 46:10

Within moments- the tense atmosphere in our home had changed. Everyone was quiet and we all began to exhale as we listened to the gentle melody play through our gloomy sky.  And then the littlest one chimed in with her pure little five year old voice and sang along.  I just listened.

The song concluded and I heard the chords transition. The rhythmic pulse of another tune began- it was another of our family favorites: “You’re a good, good Father. It’s who you are, who you are.  And I’m loved by you- it’s who I am”

And over the sink where I was washing dirty bowls,  my eyes filled with tears.

This child was leading  me- leading US in simple, spontaneous ragamuffin worship of our God.  His little dirty fingers on the keys pointing us to Jesus and away from our pent-up angered selves. It was God revealing Himself in the real, ordinary days of life.

“‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth our praise!” Matthew 21:16

The power of music. The tenderness of a child.  Lyrics of truth washing over us.

So tomorrow- it’s supposed to rain again.  And this time when I hear the rain pouring down, thanks to my boy,  I’m gonna have a new perspective about how we can spend our day indoors.

–Alyssa