On Rainy Days

I woke up this morning, in my own bed in my own room in my home, to my cat frantically meowing his head off outside my closed door. I tried to ignore him and go back to sleep, but then my phone made this incredibly loud ringing and vibrating sound as a text from a friend (who is so far away from me...) came into my inbox. And that required dragging my body out of bed and over to my dresser, manuvering my phone out of its charger, getting back in bed, being temporarly blinded by the brilliance of my backlight, and texting him back. Even after this, though, I still was convinced to get more sleep. Then our home phone rang. I gave up hope.

Sitting up in bed, hugging my knees to my chest, room bathed in slightly orange light from my bedside lamp, I stared into space for a few minutes, listening to the pouring of rain over the roof. How very typical, Seattle, to rain on the first day of spring. Try to be a bit more creative next time.

After reveling in the sound of my most favorite weather condition, and texting my friend back and forth a few times, I pulled my Bible out from underneath the novel I started last night. Uncapping my blue bic pen, I opened to where my borders bookmark keeps my place, and read what God had to teach me about love today.

Jesus is talking to his disciples for one of the last times. This sermon (John 13-17) just has some really amazing things to say about what we are to do in the world. Here's what I read this morning:

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other." (John 15:9-17)

His love is rich.