Hubby and I had planned to walk a nature trail with our daughter Sunday afternoon. We had been looking forward to this all week. This was our daughter’s favorite walking trail near her home, and she had been excited to share it with us for some time now. Not only that, I had been driving past this walking trail for a year now and had always wanted to see what it was like. Today was our day!
But oh no! Look at those storm clouds as hubby and I were on our way driving up to our daughter’s place.
Here’s the storm as we were arriving at our daughter’s place.
We deliberated among the three of us if perhaps we should not go on the walking trail after all. But nah … why not live life on the edge a little. So we drove on over to the parking area.
Wisdom said that we should bring an umbrella with us on the trail. But then again, this is Seattle and no one in Seattle ever carries an umbrella (because it only ever mists and sprinkles). We don’t want everyone on the trail thinking we’re stupid, do we?
But prudence won out and I boldly declared: “I’m not too proud to carry an umbrella!” … as I grabbed the umbrella on my way out of the car.
It was indeed a wonderful walking trail! There quite a few other people also enjoying the trail this delightful Sunday afternoon.
We made it about a mile down the trail when the storm arrived and the heavens opened up with a torrential downpour! Now weren’t we all glad I had brought the umbrella after all!
It was downpouring way too hard for us to attempt to hurry back to the car. Besides, we were too far down the trail already. So, we stopped mid-trail and all huddled underneath our one umbrella together. Granted it wasn’t big enough for all three of us, but at least all our heads fit under the umbrella. Ha!
Making memories in the storm!
It was hilarious!
Immediately the trail had emptied of people! There were one or two lonesome souls who were caught in the downpour without an umbrella … but everybody else had scattered!
We huddled as best we could for about 5 minutes then decided we’d better try to make it back to the car.
Needless to say, our feet and legs got soaked (and our jackets too) as we made it back to the car. We laughed and had such a good time making memories storm!
Afterwards we went out to eat at a quirky local restaurant located on the second floor overlooking the community pool. We got fancy pineapple drinks with little paper umbrellas in them.
I had such a fun time that afternoon making memories in the storm with our daughter that I saved the little paper umbrella from my fancy pineapple drink. And later when I got home, I propped the little umbrella up on my “Freaking Out” ghost … to remember our fun time together getting caught in the rain.
In life itself we find ourselves in situations such as hubby and I driving up to meet our daughter. We can see the storm in the distance. It’s dark and ominous. But our life is taking us that direction. There’s nothing for it. We’re going to have to face the storm.
We get closer and closer as life’s storm builds! Can we really do this?? Do we have what it takes??
When it comes to life, we don’t have a choice. The storm comes whether we want it to or not. And there we are … caught in the middle of a “stormy” situation!
Hubby’s and my current season of caregiving for aging parents has had many stormy situations come up unexpectedly! We’ll be going about our normal day … then suddenly, a surprise “storm”! … such as hubby needing to drop everything and hurry AP #2 down to the ER. (“AP” – for “aging parent”)
I find myself sitting with AP #1 (she has late-stage dementia and can’t be by herself). It’s dinnertime. Hubby is exhausted after a long hard day of work. And now he’s having to deal with ER drama. I’m wondering what I’m going to fix for hubby’s and my dinner once we get back home again … whenever that will be.
In the meantime, I have brought over some mashed potatoes for AP #1’s dinner. Due to her late-stage dementia she can no longer eat solid food. She needs to be fed pureed food. My soul is swirling in this “storm” we’ve just found ourselves in. I need my Praise-Worship music to calm my soul down. So I turn on my favorite Praise-Worship playlist while I feed AP #1 her mashed potatoes for dinner.
If AP #1 had her right mind, she would not approve of my Praise-Worship music. At all. My favorite Praise-Worship playlist includes all the current worship songs we sing in church (Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Elevation Worship, etc. …). AP #1 has never listened to such music in her life.
But AP #1 has late-stage dementia. So she does not know that she would not approve of my music.
I love to sing along with my Praise-Worship music in my kitchen at home by myself. But I never sing in front of other people. But AP #1 doesn’t know the difference. She doesn’t know to laugh at me, or judge me, or make fun of me. So, I sing my heart out in praise to Jesus! … as I feed her her mashed potatoes.
AP #1 is delighted! A broad smile covers her face as she eats bite after bite of mashed potatoes! She even attempts to speak a few words! Even though she doesn’t know much, in this moment she knows she is loved! And she knows we are having fun praising Jesus together! She is clearly enjoying our Praise Party as much as I am!
To be honest, this is one of the very few times AP #1 has actually enjoyed something which meant a lot to me. (my Praise-Worship music means a lot to me!) AP #1 has never listened to music that I enjoy before. She has never done anything with me that I enjoy. Yet, here … in the middle of the “storm” she was having a delightful time enjoying our Praise Party while eating mashed potatoes!
Making memories in the storm!
I will forever hold this memory of our Mashed Potato Praise Party as one of my fondest times spent together with AP #1 … because this is one of the only times I can remember of AP #1 having a really fun time together with me.
“Storms” in life are not fun!
But God can bring beauty, even in the middle of the “storm.” God can give us very special memories in the middle of the storm.
