"Don’tcha" just love ___________?

11/16/11 "Don’tcha" just love___________?
A rainy day. If you thought I had a spiritual answer for the "fill in the blank" you would be somewhat correct---though at first thought, my answer didn't seem very spiritual. You see, I do love a rainy day. I love to hear the rain---especially on a tin roof---like at 2211, my childhood home. I even like to hear it whooshing out the downspout of our gutters. I love to feel the rain. As a child I would lean my head back with mouth wide open to catch the drops as I played in the rain. To this day I love to walk in the rain and more often than not, I don't "fiddle" with an umbrella---which I'd probably lose anyway. I love the smell of rain soaked leaves and sometimes I feel like I can even smell rain coming.

Rain doesn't sound spiritual and many folks would see it as one of life's interruptions as it hampers their errands or other endeavors on their "list." The reason I love a rainy day isn't spiritual in and of itself---it's mostly self serving---a good excuse to take a break with a "cuppa" and a daily crossword and to hunker down. But even that enjoyment can be spiritual---another manifestation of the truth that "God has given us all things to richly enjoy."

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. (I Timothy 6:17)

Our Prayer for Revival group meditated on Psalm 147 yesterday, reminding us to praise and then providing the reasons for that praise---

Sing to the LORD with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain.....(Psalm 147:7-8a)

Today I'm praising Him for that rain just because I like it. Thankful, too, that my recently transplanted snowball bushes are drinking it in.

As the "Preacher" in Ecclesiastes, I see more and more aspects of life as gifts from Him---even a chilly, rainy day. "This too, I see, is from the hand of God."

The rain has somewhat diminished and the wind has blown wet leaves all over the patio. This could be a signal that I need to rake up the wet mess---but, I don't "do" leaves, especially wet ones. I just like to smell them, not clean them up. Don'tcha just love the way I pick and choose the elements of rain that are "useful" to me?
Don'tcha just love the way God loves us (me) regardless of our (my) propensity toward spiritual rationalization?