On this day in 1823, Charles Macintosh of Scotland began selling raincoats.

Rain can be a pain, especially on the plain, especially when you have to work or play in it. And rain in October can really make life miserable in the colder parts of the country. Of course, marvelous inventions such as the umbrella and raincoat make it easier to venture out into the storm.

Weather is interesting. We’re all affected by it but can do very little about it, except, of course, prepare, choose a good attitude, and respond. For example, you’ve made plans, but now it’s pouring—your plans and hopes are dashed. How will you react? Many mope and complain and whine. That self-centered approach helps no one and just gets on everyone’s nerves. A better response is to thank God for the rain, smile, and adjust the schedule.

Some people pray for good weather when they’re worried about an important outside event. They don’t want it to rain on their parade, picnic, or ball game.

Others, especially farmers, pray for rain—at the right time and in the right amount—because their lives depend on having crops to harvest and sell.

So would it be fair to the farmer who desperately needs rain for us to ask God to withhold it so we can get in nine innings or have a day at the beach?

It’s a balance. We want rain because we want green lawns, healthy trees, beautiful flowers, and delicious veggies and bread and corn-fed cattle and chickens. But at times we don’t want rain because we don’t want activities rained out and because we’re already soaked.

So what are we to do? Well, we can pray—talking to God about how we feel. We can remember the farmers and thank God for his provision. We can plan—adjusting our attitude and schedule. And we can prepare—keeping the umbrella and raincoat handy, just in case.

I will send the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees will produce their fruit (Leviticus 26:4).

To Do

When it rains, remember to choose a good attitude and to pray, plan, and prepare.

Also on this day

This is National World Egg Day (eggs-actly right!).

1492—Christopher Columbus touched land in the Bahamas.

1938—Filming began on The Wizard of Oz.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.