I think I first began to clue in to the idea that a lot of people just didn’t seem to like Mondays, way back when, as a kid, my literary tastes went through a massive Garfield phase. For some reason, that fat orange cat seemed to hate Nermal and Mondays, almost as much as he loved Lasagna.
My introduction to the Carpenters wasn’t until several years later.
I think I always just assumed that Monday aversion was just an arbitrary thing until I got older. For many people, Monday means that their weekend of freedom is over, and it’s once again, back to the grind. For me, it was always different. Sabbath was nice, though quiet, and in the winter I counted down the minutes until I could turn on Hockey Night in Canada. But Sunday was the day I despised. Because it was on Sundays that my dad would loudly pronounce his infamous rallying cry, “Fudge shovelers of the world, UNITE!” which to my sister and I, meant we had to put off all good things, go grab the wheelbarrow and some shovels, and clean out our dog’s fence. By comparison, Mondays seemed like Christmas.
For me, rainy days have always been similar. There seems to be something almost magical about them I’m not sure if it’s just memories of being in our Francois Lake cabin together with the whole family, or maybe hearing the rain drops falling on the tin roof of our old shop house. I love me some rainy days.
I love driving in them, running in them, riding in them (though I don’t love cleaning my bike afterwards…), sitting by a fire and reading in them. Did I mention that I love me some rainy days?
I guess all of this just brings me to a bit of a musing. A passing thought, really. Paul writes in Philippians 4, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”
I think we have a lot right now in our lives that might tempt us to be discontented. Many of us are starting to get antsy, and wishing we could just go back to the way things used to be. Many more are probably wishing they could go back to work. I think most of us can relate with Paul when he said “I know what it is to be in need.”
The thing is, even in our anxiousness, and even in our need, we can still have the peace that contentment brings. The secret is not just ignoring the hard times. It’s finding our strength in Jesus. It’s learning to rely on His strength alone, and realizing that we are powerless by ourselves.
You can do everything… even find peace and contentment in this crazy, wild time… by resting in the strength of Jesus.