So y'all are going to get two blog posts in a week; I hope you're ready for it. 😏
On Saturday I had a City Group meeting to go to. I was already running a little bit late, and as I was walking up my street to get to the metro, I noticed it was drizzling, but it didn't seem to be too bad. The closer I got to the metro, the more the rain started to pick up.
I want to say that I thought it was fine, but I admire honesty, and I'd be lying to you if I said "it was fine".
I was pretty annoyed about it, to the point of considering just turning around and going back home. But I'd already texted someone from my City Group, saying that I was running late, but I'd be there as soon as I could.
I got on the metro, made the necessary transfers to get to the stop I needed to be at, and got off to walk to the family's house where the group was meeting that morning.
When I made it to the metro exit, I could see that it was absolutely POURING down rain now. I was not about it. I grumbled to myself, wishing I hadn't told anyone that I was on my way. 'That way I could just turn around and go home.'
I walked about half way to my destination before running for shelter under an awning outside of a Tim Hortons. I stood there for upwards of five minutes, dripping wet and miserable. Like, water-was-dripping-from-my-hair-some-of-it-catching-in-my-eyebrows-some-of-it-not-and-then-getting-all-over-my-face typa "dripping wet and miserable". My shoes and socks were wet, and so were my jeans.
'Should I just go home?'
'Why didn't I bring my umbrella???'
'If only I hadn't taken the hood off of my winter coat the minute I bought it...'
I ended up deciding that I'd commuted over half an hour to get this far, and my City Group knew I was coming, so I was going to just suck it up and go.
I arrived at City Group with rain just dripping off of me, so much so that someone asked me if I was crying because they saw me wiping rain away from my eyes. My feet were wet, my winter coat was at least three shades darker because of how wet it was, and I was miserable.
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That's it for story one. It doesn't really have a happy ending, other than the delicious brunch I consumed with my City Group, because once I went home, I was still soaking and miserable, so I took a nap and moped around for the rest of the day because I was just being a grouchy grouch.
However, upon arriving at home, I immediately re-attached the hood to my winter coat, determined to not experience this same situation ever again. Having a winter coat with a hood is a normal thing, I know, but for some reason I absolutely cannot stand it. I always make sure to buy a winter coat with a removable hood. I'm not sure what it is, but there are few things I hate more than hoods on winter coats. It's weird. But I'm carrying that physical burden around with me now in case of future rain situations.
I also put my umbrella in my backpack.
Fast forward now to last night.
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In Québec there's this 24/7 prayer movement (le 24/7 mouvement de priere) and there's a church location that some people from Église 21 join with for their monthly prayer meeting. Throughout my internship there have been announcements in church about those monthly prayer meetings but I've never really considered going.
On Monday night, one of my friends texted me and asked me if I was going to go this week, and I told her that I wasn't planning on it, but I'd go if she was planning to go.
I left my house last night, and as I was walking down the path from my apartment to the sidewalk, I realized I didn't bring my umbrella. 🤦🏼♀️ This was because for once I had my purse with me instead of my backpack. 🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️ It had been raining earlier in the day, and I was a little bit concerned because of how rainy it's been in Montréal over the past week and a half.
As if on cue, it started raining as I was walking up the street to the metro. Again. Just like Saturday. I rolled my eyes about it, almost feeling amused this time rather than miserable and annoyed like I'd been on the weekend.
'Of course...'
I'll admit that I did text my friend saying that I was considering turning around and going home. However I quickly followed it with a "But I'm not going to" text. As I was continuing up the street, the rain continued to pick up, similarly to Saturday.
But this time I had a genius idea. 💡
I was approaching Pharmaprix (aka Shoppers Drug Mart for all you Anglophones out there). I'd duck in there and see if they sold umbrellas.
I was dripping wet with rain again, probably looking a pathetic sight to the worker I approached to inquire about umbrellas. I was so desperate to meet my friend that I didn't even look at the price. I just grabbed the most neutral looking umbrella, scanned my PC Optimum card (an important step), scanned the umbrella, and only stopped when the price came up on the screen.
$20.
I hesitated as I tapped my Visa. I rationalized with myself, remembering that my friend was waiting for me at a metro station, and I didn't want to make us both late for prayer meeting. 'It's fine.' I "comforted" myself, as I walked out of the store.
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I could write so much more, but this post is already longer than I initially thought it would be. Let's just say that after all of this Montréal rain, I wasn't even mad when I was woken up at 7:30 this morning (an hour before my alarm), because it was the bright sunshine that woke me up! 😍☀️🙌🏼
A welcome surprise after all this ridiculous rain.
But the bottom line is that when I walked back in the door of my apartment at 9:30 last night, I was so encouraged. I've been praying and processing through some stuff over the past couple of weeks, and earlier on yesterday, I actually escaped to the office washroom to cry for two minutes about how frustrated I was that I'm not getting the answers that I'm seeking so earnestly.
And while I still don't have those answers after the prayer meeting, what I do have is multiple solid reminders from last night's prayer meeting that God knows I'm seeking. He hears me and He's at work. And that's good enough for me, because I know that He is sovereign, his ways are higher than mine, and I'm ultimately not in control of my life. I'm learning patience.
Last night's encouragement and this morning's sunshine are enough to keep me from having anymore two minute office washroom breakdowns for the foreseeable future. Also a group from my church is coming to visit me this weekend, my family and best friend next weekend (for my birthday!!!), and two other friends the weekend after that, so I'm pretty STOKED about the foreseeable future.
God is good.
And I now have an umbrella (a $20 one) in my purse too, so I'll be ready for the next torrential downpour whether I have my backpack or my purse.
Aaand I have the stupid hood on my winter coat too. 🙄
"The heart of a man plans his ways, but the LORD establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:9
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