BY PASTOR MARK HOPPER
Pastor Mark Hopper
We don’t get a lot of rain in Southern California in the summer. In fact, we usually don’t see a drop of rain between May and November. We get most of our rain in the winter and spring.
On our recent trip to Central Europe, we experienced the exact opposite. It rained day after day for a week. The creeks were full and the hillsides were covered with lush green grass. It looked like a picture postcard. We all enjoy a light drizzle or an evening shower, but this rain wouldn’t quit. It rained hard for days.
The farmers may appreciate all the rain, but young grandchildren and visiting grandparents can get a little cabin fever after a week of rain. Usually we got out each day to walk or ride bikes to a local park. It is fun to get out and the grandkids loved the play yard at the park. But it was hard to go anywhere with rain every day.
One solution we found was to drive a few miles to a nearby town and go to the shopping mall. This provided a good alternative and got all of us out of the house.
One of the best things about this part of the world is enjoying the outdoors. It can be cold and barren in the winter, but spring and summer are beautiful. We love it and the grandkids do, too.
Whether you live in Southern California or Central Europe, rain and water are essential. In the Bible it says, “God has shown His kindness by giving us rain from heaven and crops in their season, providing us with plenty of food and filling our hearts with joy,” (Acts 14:17).
The rain and the weather are good reminders of how blessed we are to live and enjoy the world that God has made, even when it is more rain than we would like. I’m sure we all hope to see some more rain soon in Southern California.
Pastor Mark Hopper is from the Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar, 3255 South Diamond Bar Ave. Sunday services are 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. For more information, call (909) 594-7604 or visit http://www.efreedb.org.
