singing in the rain

August 9th reading from Springs in the Valley:


"His praise shall continually be in my mouth."

Psalm 34:1

"I heard a joyous strain -
A lark on a leafless bough
Sat singing in the rain."

I heard him singing early in the morning. It was hardly light! I could not understand that song; it was fairly a lilt of joy. It had been a portentous night for me, full of dreams that did disturb me. Old things that I had hoped to forget, and new things that I had prayed could never come, trooped through my dreams like grinning little bare-faced imps. Certainly I was in no humor to sing. What could possess that fellow out yonder to be telling the whole township how joyous he was? He was perched on the rail fence by the spring run. He was drenched. It had rained in the night and evidently he had been poorly housed. I pitied him. What comfort could he have had through that night bathed in the storm? He never thought of comfort. His song was not bought by any such duplicity. It was in his heart. Then I shook myself: The shame that a lark has finer poise than a man!
- Rev. G.A. Leichliter

"Nothing can break you as long as you sing."