The blessings and curses that April showers bring us

Growing up I always heard the saying “April Showers bring May flowers.”

I thought it was just one of those cute saying people repeat just because.

As I grew up I learned that the month of April is traditionally a rainy period that gives away to May when flowers will bloom because of water provided them by the April rain.

“April showers bring May flowers” is a reminder that even the most unpleasant of things, in this case the heavy rains of April, can bring about very enjoyable things.

In 2017 those April showers of blessings caused the Black River to flood our neighborhood in south Poplar Bluff.

It caused major damage to many homes in our neighborhood but God was still there in the midst with neighbors checking on neighbors and helping one another.

Still after the flood of 2017 “There shall be showers of blessing” is one of my favorite hymns often song in church worship.

“There shall be showers of blessing: This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing, Sent from the Savior above.”

The refrain goes: “Showers of blessing, Showers of blessing we need:

Mercy-drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead.”

But often when we think of showers of blessings, we often think of the big blessings in life. Perhaps being healed from an illness, our first born child, or the great new promotion at work.

But when we think about blessings do we think about the little blessings we receive daily? A beautiful sunrise or sunset, the rustle of leaves in the fall, a beautiful snow fall, or perhaps even a smile or a “well done” from a friend or coworker.

Prior to moving to the southeast corner of Missouri we lived in the arid western part of Oklahoma. Many joked that there were two colors in that part of the state, “brown and dead.” During the time we lived in the arid southwest Oklahoma there was a Level 5 drought and water was rationed. Most yards were almost nonexistent and we lost our only shade tree to the drought. Being the shade tree gardener that I am, I did research and learned that in Oklahoma one could catch rain water from your home roof. God showed us a way that we could save the little rain water we received to restore the parched landscape.

As the writer of the Gospel of Matthew reminds us, “In this way you show that you are children. He makes his sun rise on people whether they are good or evil. He lets rain fall on them whether they are just or unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)

At the time of our move I had over 5,000 gallons of water stored in our backyard for our garden and flowers.

Sadly this year the winter wheat crop is facing another period of drought in the southwestern part of our country again. There have been wildfires close to the areas that we traveled weekly and the people in the area would cherish some April showers as I write.

As I was thinking about April showers I remembered a story that I had read many years ago. It speaks to an arid landscape due to lack of moisture. It goes like this.

An elderly woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

‘I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.’

The old woman smiled, ‘Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?’

‘That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.’

Each of us has our own unique flaw. It’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You’ve just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them. So have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

As we continue our Easter journey may we enjoy the flowers and the blessings that we receive daily, both big and small. As the old saying goes, “Bloom were you are planted.” God showers the just and the unjust with His rain.

Rev. Frank Chlastak began work as senior minister of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Poplar Bluff in 2015.