> NEED WASHING??

> A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in
> Target. She must have been 6 years old, this
> beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of
> innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain
> that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in
> a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down
> the spout. We all stood there under the awning and
> just inside the door of the Target.
>
> We waited, some patiently, others irritated because
> nature messed up their hurried day. I am always
> mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and
> sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust
> of the world. Memories of running, splashing so
> carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome
> reprieve from the worries of my day.
>
> The little voice was so sweet as it broke the
> hypnotic trance we were all caught in "Mom let's run
> through the rain," she said.
> "What?" Mom asked.
>
> "Lets run through the rain!" She repeated.
>
> "No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,"
> Mom replied.
>
> This young child waited about another minute and
> repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain,"
>
> "We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.
>
> "No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this
> morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her
> Mom's arm.
>
> "This morning? When did I say we could run through
> the rain and not get wet?"
>
> "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy
> about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us
> through this, he can get us through anything!"
>
> The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you
> couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood
> silently. No one came or left in the next few
> minutes.
> Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she
> would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her
> for being silly. Some might even ignore what was
> said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a
> young child's life. A time when innocent trust can
> be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.
>
> "Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through
> the rain If GOD lets us get wet, well, maybe we just
> needed washing," Mom said.
>
> Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling
> and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes,
> through the puddles. They held their shopping bags
> over their heads just in case.

> They got soaked. But
> they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed
> like children all the way to their cars.
>
> And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.
>
> Circumstances or people can take away your material
> possessions, they can take away your money, and they
> can take away your health. But no one can ever take
> away your precious memories...So, don't forget to
> make time and take the opportunities to make
> memories everyday. To everything there is a season
> and a time to every purpose under heaven.
> I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE
> RAIN.
>
> They say it takes a minute to find a special person,
> an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but
> then an entire life to forget them. Send this to the
> people you'll never forget and remember to also send
> it to the person who sent it to you. It's a short
> message to let them know that you'll never forget
> them.
>
> If you don't send it to anyone, it means you're in a
> hurry.
>
> Take the time to live!!!
>
> Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when
> you'll need each other -- and don't forget to run in
> the rain!