Rain, rain, rain...

Last night sometime around 10pm it started raining.  The rain continued to fall for almost 24 hours before it stopped.  Most of my friends complain about rainy days being gloomy, tiring and not at all motivating, but I completely disagree.
I grew up in New Mexico and rain was something that only happened on rare and blissful occasions.  When the rain comes in NM, many people will find any reason imaginable to go outside and stand in the rain.  We play in it, dance in it, and go for walks in it.  And what happens after the rain is my favorite part.  After the rain, the earth seems to come alive.  The smell of wet dirt fills the air (my favorite smell ever), the wildlife sings out loud and clear, and everything just sparkles when the sun touches it.
When I went to Ohio for college my love of rain simple deepened as I got to experience it more frequently.  I loved playing with my friends in the rain, having mud fights, and dancing in the rain.  Love for rain would just fill me up with bubbling excitement. 
When I moved to China, the rain changed a little bit.  Rain in QD is different than NM or OH.  Rain here can last days and can make it seem even hotter outside as the humidity simply continues to increase.  Also, the sidewalks and roads in China are not as clean as in America so I don't dance barefoot in the rain any more.  Have any of these things changed my love of rain?  Definitely not. 
Now, instead of dancing in the rain, I go for slow meandering walks in it.  Instead of playing in the rain, I sit at my open window watching the rain tumble down and praising God for His faithfulness.  I am convinced that nothing will ever make me love rain less.  I will always see it as one of God's greatest blessings to the earth.  It will forever be a reason to dance, sing, and play.  I have met very few things that are more beautiful than rain.
So, dear friends, it rained for about 21 of the last 24 hours.  I am completely elated and dancing for joy.  Praise God for the rain!