Rainy days and Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...

Friday is coming!

We have had rain in the forecast since Saturday.  And the weather person has been spot on this time.  Lately, it seems it is dark and rainy when I wake up and dark and rainy when I drive home.  When Terry emptied the rain gauge on Sunday (after approximately 36 hours had passed) we had over 8 inches of rain.  And that was three days ago.   It seems as if we either "feast or famine" on this resource we rely on so heavily.

When we first moved to Austin, Lake Travis was around 40% full and losing water rapidly.  Long time Austinites would tell me, this lake can fill up after just a few days of rain.  I did not believe them but that is exactly what happened.  Last spring when it started raining, it quickly filled up to 80% and since that time, it continues to increase. And here we are, at spring again -with our latest number at 102%.

We live on high ground so if we experience flooding, EVERYONE will be in big trouble.  But Austin has many low lying areas that have flooded frequently lately.  I can't imagine how disheartening it would be to have to come in and try to clean a mess like that up ONCE, let alone numerous times.

So we will be "feasting" on the rain, until once again, the sun comes out and dries everything out...for too long, and then we will be longing for the dark wet mornings (and nights) that we have no more.

It seems to me, in my life and in conversations with others, that many aspects of life have that "feast or famine" theme.

Have you ever been so busy at work you could barely keep your head out of water (play on words intended) only to find yourself the very next week, desperately trying to find something (anything) to do that will make the clock continue to move forward?

How about life in general?  So much to do, so little time - until all you have is time on your hands. Or our health?  Do we appreciate it when everything is going well (or only notice it when we enter the dark days of illness?)

There are so many "words" we could fill in (blessings, love, attention, etc. etc. etc) that could outline where we are at any given time in the "feast or famine" category.

I wonder if it is how we look at things that determine a "feast or famine"?  I have always told my kids that if they believe they can't do something, won't like something, will never get something right, then that is exactly what will happen.  If this is the case, could we be creating our own "famines" in some areas?

Yes, I believe so.  Now, don't get me wrong.  We cannot determine how much rain will fall (outside and in our life).  But we can choose how we receive the "rain".  When we are "drowning" in abundance, maybe that is when we should set out the barrels so we will have the "overflow" to fall back on during those dry spells.

Until next time,
#umbrellasup

Your pal,
Kari