“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”

“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”

If you live in Oregon the song, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach and sung by B.J. Thomas in 1969, might be an appropriate song to sing.

It rains so much in Oregon that sometimes we have a hard time giving thanks for it.
But I would agree with this unknown author, that, “Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain”  for after many days of drought in the Midwest one year, I actually found myself running out to dance in the rain when it finally came my way!
Rain is truly a blessing and is one of God’s most wondrous works.

Consider a raindrop…it can vary in size from 0.1 millimetres (0.0039 in) to 9 millimetres (0.35 in) that is pretty small!  Popular belief is that a raindrop is shaped like a teardrop,however, that is not true.  Raindrops are actually spherical and as they increase in size they become oblate. The largest ones often resemble a parachute in shape.
“Why are raindrops are different sizes?” It all has to do with clouds,condensation and particles.
USGS website explains it well.  http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/raindropsizes.html

As we see, even tiny raindrops are amazingly complex and truly wondrous creations.  Let’s remember this the next time we venture out into our rainy Oregon weather.  Let’s look up, give thanks and perhaps,become like a kid again by trying to catch one of those tiny droplets on our tongue !

This unknown author said it well:
“Sometimes I see myself as a child in a rain storm, running around trying to catch all the drops in his mouth.
I long for your adventures to be like the raindrops the child saves and not those which crash to the ground.”

For more information check out these links:

“Raindrops Keep Fallin on My Head” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raindrops_Keep_Fallin%27_on_My_Head

Rain   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain

Raindrops   http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/raindropsizes.html
                   http://www.dimensionsguide.com/dimension-of-a-raindrop/

Dandelions…dear to my daughter’s heart

“The miracles of nature do not seem miracles because they are so common.
 If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion would be the most startling event in the world.”

–Author Unknown

It’s spring and the Dandelions are popping up all over the green grass.

Seeing a bunch of them today reminded me of a time years back when I worked at the local hardware store as a cashier.  It was Springtime and the Lawn and Garden department was very busy selling all the items homeowner’s might need to keep their lawns green and beautiful.  This day in particular many of the customers seemed to be focused on fighting dandelions.  In fact, our supply of dandelion removers was dwindling as the complaints about the “weed” rose higher and higher throughout the day.

I found myself waiting for the work day to end so I could escape this “dandelion frenzy”.  Driving home I recall thinking ” I will be so glad if I never see or hear about a dandelion again !”

Yet, when I got home a surprise awaited me.  My daughter was waiting for me with a big bouquet of dandelions in her little hands.  “Welcome home Mommy!  I picked some beautiful yellow flowers just for you!” she said.

Dandelions !
How quickly I found myself loving these little yellow blooms that I previously hoped to avoid.  As I hugged my daughter and helped her put them into a water filled vase, a new appreciation for dandelions came over me. Though they might be a nuisance to landscapers, they are loved by children and mothers.

My thought today, on “Earth Day” is:
May we all see the world through the eyes of a child.

Let’s take time to see the beauty and wonder of the earth around us.
Let’s pick a bouquet of dandelions for our table and stop to give thanks to their Creator for giving us beauty and color in our world.

Dandelions actually have many good uses.  Check the links below for some interesting facts about them.

http://www.naturewatch.ca/english/plantwatch/dandelion/fun_facts.html

http://mydandelionisaflower.org/did-you-know/

http://www.ehow.com/about_5374101_dandelion-flower.html

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/dandelion-herb.html