...of What's on Your Mind '09 - God in the Ordinary

What's on Your Mind '09? is a new blog carnival which Shane at Heart Reflections began to challenge writers and encourage conversation. Karen at Surving Motherhood is hostessing this week! So what's today's topic of conversation?

"We have all heard from God when we read our Bibles, listened to sermons at church, or gone to Bible study, right? But is God limited to our “spiritual” activities? Or does He show Himself in the middle of our everyday activities, too? Share about a time when God spoke to your heart in the midst of the ordinary."

This is my, 'Slowly Dying 2 Self, story. I wrote this in November of 2005 while I was waiting for the medical shuttle to take me back to my hotel while I was in Hawaii for radiation treatment. I titled it, "God's Umbrella:"

As I stand here awaiting the arrival of the shuttle back to Hickam, it started to rain, well not rain like we usually see, I don’t know what to really call it because the sun is still shining, it’s not dark & gloomy, cold or wet. People aren’t even using umbrellas or running for cover. The birds are still chirping, I mean there are people sitting in the grass with the rain falling! I just saw a man pushing a stroller & he didn’t bother to cover or shield the baby. What’s going on here, am I not seeing something? I haven’t even heard anyone say awe man it’s raining. No one seems upset or bothered by the rain. It’s not hindering them, they’re pushing on despite the fact that it’s “raining.” What’s wrong w/you people!? Don’t you know it’s raining, don’t you see it? But yet you persevere, you are pressing on to whatever you’ve got going on next. Okay there’s something wrong w/me. I would have grumbled and ran for cover, probably even told myself how stupid I was for not having an umbrella. Anyway, the rain is quite interesting. To me it’s weird, I guess cause I’m not used to it. I’m usually grumbling and trying to avoid going out in it. Everybody seems to be fine & okay with what’s going on. I think I should be learning from this. I see how GOD has watered this island with this small amount. He’s giving it just what it needs, not overwhelming it, not pouring out much. Not more than it can handle right now, for He knows what the island needs. He knows how much water, well, rain it can stand. Did I just learn my lesson? What am I feeling, what am I thinking? I feel happy, but I’m amazed at this rain & the people’s reaction or should I say non-reaction. Not one person moaned, they just went with what was going on. Can I do that? I moved from the bench cause I was getting wet, I tried to get away from the “calamity” these people are embracing it and not letting it get them down. They see beauty in it, or so I assume, why should it be okay for them to get wet? Same reason it should be okay for me to have given birth, three surgeries, leave my family for an unknown amount of time, face my fear of cancer, fear of flying, & my fear of being alone. Because GOD is in control & if I truly believe that & trust in Him then I too can walk in the rain w/o an umbrella and keep pressing on although it’s raining. Just as He poured out the amount of rain He knew the island could handle right now, so He gives me my “rain” in my life where I can walk in it & not grumble, I can see the beauty and press on. GOD is my umbrella, & now I truly understand what, “GOD will not give us more than we can handle” means. Thank you Father for putting me here at this moment. I know it’s because there was a lesson to be learned.

What's your ordinary story? Be sure to post it on your blog and link it back to Shane at Heart Reflections and Karen at Surviving Motherhood