Learn to Dance in the Rain

I know I should be busy studdying and writing essays and find crazy statistics for my stats project that is due tomorrow but I couldn't let this blog post go unwritten.
Today at church, a young man gave a talk. He wasn't assigned a topic but was asked to speak what he felt was important. I am always impressed by this guy because he is such a spaz but gives such amazing lessons in Sunday school that always leave you with a new perspective on things. Today he spoke on trials and how you are shaped because of how you react to trials. This has always been one of my favorite topics. He talked about how he would come back from football a muddy mess and how his dad would make him sit in the truck (in the rain) and how his mom would not let him in until he was hosed off in the front yard (also in the rain). They learned how to have fun in the rain. Then he focused on his mom. His om was diagnosed with cancer on his birthday and he said how it was one of the hardest times of his life. But it was also one of the best.
Now, you may be like me, wondering how in the world could this kid have enjoyed dealing with the emotional turmoil of having a terminally sick parent. But he continued to talk about how during this time, he learned more about service and charity. She taught him how to serve others with his whole heart. She spent weeks getting ready for a wedding of one of her child's close friends just after her first surgery. At the wedding, the speaker asked his mom to dance. She made it through about a quarter of the dance before she looked up at him and said "I can't anymore. I just hurts too bad." Can you imagine how much pain she was going through? This is someone who has spent the entire week running around getting things ready and organized and was in too much pain to even dance.
He finished by saying that his mother taught him how to dance in the rain, even when dancing was hard. How many times in your own life have you put your own pains, fears and worries before helping others? How many times have you many going through a particularly hard time and it seems that the only way to get out of it is to quit? I know my answer: too many times.
Trials come in all shapes and forms. Sometimes they spring up out of nowhere and take you by surprise and seem to pull the rug out from beneath your feet. They will always be there. What truly matters, however, is not how many trials you recieve but the grace and dignity you display as you battle your demons. Its not easy. It never will be. You have to just keep at it.

Anyways, I hope you all had an amazing week. I sure did. It was crazy and spastic and we went through WAY too much hairspray. One week left of classes and then exams. Exams which I must go and study for now. Wish me luck! :]