We got rain again today.  It was not the spectacular variety as it was Friday night.  Most of the precipitation was slow but steady.  That is not to say it was not an orchestra of dramatic thunder.  Rolling thunder is a good word for it.  I could hear it off in the distance while completing my running and walking in the afternoon.  What was faint at the start drew closer with each step.  There is something to be said for getting in your cardio work in the rain.  You adjust your body to triple digit heat only to have it replaced by raindrops.  The one drawback is when it does stop raining.  My body could feel the humidity literally shoot up like a roman candle.  But it was still a great gift in the midst of our summer turmoil.


Learning that every gift of God counts is something that must come with age.  Most storm through the day without consideration of those small moments that surprise us.  Gifts matter.  We find them in the laughter of children.  You see them in the odd shapes in a storm filled sky.  You hear them when birds sing after a passing shower.  They may not seem huge when compared to other acts of God but they do count.  We simply end up too busy or too consumed by our agenda to recognize them.  They keep your heart open to God even when the extravagant facets of His nature seem distant.  They are worth our gratitude.  They call for our humility.  We are better for them.


That was not the only gift that would come my way today.  It was not too long ago I mentioned my longing for a pocket watch.  They always look so cool in the movies.  Maybe it seems to be a British thing to me.  Seems like they always wear a pocket watch with their suits.  You reach down to your watch on its chain to look at it without drawing attention to yourself.  Watches on the wrist usually do not go well for me.  My arms just are not made to wear those types.  Anyway, this evening one of my favorite people came up and gave me a pocket watch.  I may not look nearly as suave as the British but we will see.  Maybe it's a tad weird for me to be so excited by this present.  That did not keep me from playing with it all evening while trying to learn how to appear cool.  It may not keep time any better than another watch but that is not the point.  It is a gift to be appreciated.  I shall use it with great pride and humility.  That's what you are to do with every gift that comes from God.  I just hope He lets me look cool while it's used.


Bro. Trey