Goodness knows we’ve had enough of them this winter!
Over the past couple of weeks, our area has experienced devastating floods, a tornado, and snow. Gotta love the Carolinas!
With March just around the corner, more rain is sure to come. So let’s consider some fun and meaningful ways to engage our rainy day senses:
What Can We See?
- Read rain-related verses.
- Go through old photos – not for the purpose of organizing but simply to enjoy.
- Watch the rain⏤the way droplets weigh down the leaves on a branch. Or the places where it puddles. Reading the verses beforehand can’t help but add depth to our wonder.
- Hopefully a rainbow!
What Can We Hear?
- Listen⏤really listen⏤to the soft ticking of the rain on your window, umbrella, or rooftop. Rain is a symphony of nature created by God for our listening pleasure.
- Vinyl spinning on a nearby turntable.
- Perhaps a crackling fire if it’s cold outside?
- The sloshing sound from beneath our rain boots as we jump puddles with (or without) our children/grandchildren.
What Can We Smell?
- Step outside and catch the scent of rain. Depending on where it falls (the driveway, freshly plowed dirt, grass, or the pup), we’ll pick up on a variety of aromas. All a delight, except for the latter. 🙂
- Burn a candle as you read a favorite book. (Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson is a new fave of mine. This isn’t an affiliate link. I’m just a fan.)
- Soup cooking over a hot stove. Is there anything more soothing than soup on a rainy day? Besides warm chocolate chip cookies, of course.
What Can We Touch?
- Warm pj’s and flannel sheets. Need I say more?
- The hands of a loved one. A rainy night is the ideal setting to unplug and spend time with those God has placed in our lives.
- Birdfeeders. My country birdies are voracious eaters when it rains.
- A pen. Rainy days are perfect for re-engaging the art of a handwritten letter.
- Hearts and lives through prayer. Let’s pull out our prayer journal and lift up the lost and loved ones to the Lord.
What Can We Taste?
- Steamy mugs of tea. Lace it with honey and sip away.
- My go-to Weight Watchers meal from Skinnytaste, Crockpot Sante Fe Chicken. It’s a real meal everyone can enjoy.
- The rain! When’s the last time we put on our rain boots, ran outside, looked up to the heavens and stuck out our tongue? None of us are promised tomorrow, so let’s have some fun!
- The goodness of God. “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8) Rainy days offer a pause⏤physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Set aside time to journal or make a list of specific ways you’ve tasted (experienced firsthand) God’s goodness in recent days.
“You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the LORD, have created it.” (Isaiah 45:8)
So, which of the five senses do you most enjoy on a rainy day?
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I love the smells of rain. All of the 5 senses are great, but I think, growing up in the desert, I really love smelling rain hitting the arid ground. This is especially true since we barely had rain! I do love hearing it hit the roof as well. 🙂
I imagine you would have a deeper appreciation for the rain and all that includes. 🙂 Thank you for sharing, Angie!
Beautiful post, Cathy! Thank you.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to share, Jennifer. 🙂
Texas has had it’s fair share of rain the winter. Living on a country road gives a new meaning to a dirty car (couple that with barn cats (haha!)and you’ve got a mess. I love the smell of rain on a freshly mowed yard…something about the combination brings me back to my childhood, and I love the rain if I don’t have to drive in it, I would love a steamy cup of tea laced with honey right about now. But right now, I’d just like to say how much I love reading your blog. It’s always a pleasant escape in the middle of the afternoon when I need a break the most. Thank you Cathy.
Oh, Diane, thank you for your kind words. I wish I could enjoy that cup of tea with you. 🙂 And I agree, there’s something about the scent of rain colliding with freshly mowed grass that also takes me back to my childhood. I appreciate you taking the time to share this lovely thought. Blessings, friend! (I wish you could come to Blue Ridge with J.D. I’d love to meet you in person.:)
I absolutely loved the sunshine from this post on a rainy day–so much so that I tweeted about it! For me, all five in one way or the other, but today I’m called to the aroma of soup simmering, a mug of tea, and a fragrant candle. Thanks for the verses about rain!
I think I can smell your yummy soup from here, Marilyn. Maybe we can enjoy snow cream on Thursday! This winter’s weather is like a roller coaster. Thanks so much for sharing your soup with us. 🙂
For me, two senses come to the forefront. I love the fresh smell of the outdoors after a good cleansing rain. It’s as though God has renewed my little part of the world to remind me He’s still in charge. The second, especially after being outside feeding livestock, etc. during a cold, winter’s rain, is coming inside and feeling the warmth of our home surround me. It’s almost like getting a hug. I can’t help but smile thinking about both. Thank you for this heartwarming post ma’am. God’s blessings.
And I can’t help but smile as I read your comment, J.D. 🙂 What beautiful imagery of God’s provision. Thank you for sharing!
What refreshing words you bring, Cathy! Your post is like a mini vacation. I’m reading now and listening to gentle rainfall, my favorite sound.
You’re so sweet, Jeannie. Thank you for the kind words. I know of few things this side of heaven that are lovelier than the sound of gentle rain. Enjoy!
Living in New Mexico, we get excited when we see rain. We stop what we’re doing, run to the window, and make a grand announcement! Sometimes we go outside and stand in it to make sure it’s not just our imagination!
That sounds like me when we get snow! Ha! I imagine the scent of rain is such dry surroundings is especially nice. Thank you for taking the time to share, LuAnn! Blessings!
Love this, Cathy. We’ve had a lot of rainy days and flooding here in east TN as well. While rainy days aren’t our favorite (most of us), you bring out some great points. My favorites are warm pj’s and flannel sheets and steaming mugs of tea!
It’s hard to beat your trio of warmth — pj’s, sheets, and mugs of tea. We’re hoping to see snow tomorrow, an usual treat for us South Carolinians. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Karen!
What a tough question! Hmm. I chose sound; especially when I am in my quiet place. Being an outdoors gal, all my senses kick in for sure. I chose sound as the sense I enjoy most because it doesn’t disappear when I close my eyes. Quite the timely post, my friend; raindrops are ticking on the tin as I type. (Lol…totally didn’t plan the alliteration in that last statement!)
Rain ticks more than the sun shines these days. My fingers are crossed for snow tomorrow! So you have a tin roof, Charla? We put one on the tiny house so I could hear the rain tick. Of course, I have to get wet running up there to listen, but it’s worth it. Ha!! Thank you for taking the time to stop by. 🙂
Oh, I would enjoy a tin roof on my home 🙂 I was on my lunch hour in an empty classroom at work when I commented. That building is an insulated metal building and I could ever so slightly hear the rain falling. I am currently sitting at home awaiting the arrival of snow, which calls on my sense of sight to enjoy (well, unless I run outside and lift my face toward the sky!).
Well, I hope you’re getting more snow than we are. 🙁 Of course, now that I’m typing this the snow actually starts falling!!!! Woo hoo!
All this rain has definitely got me down this winter, so I appreciate your post a lot. It reminds me to focus on the good in rain rather than the negative. The poet in me loves listening to the rain.
Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Candyce. 🙂 Listening to the rain is one of my favorites too. Today, I hope to watch some snow from the tiny house. We never know what we’ll enjoy here in the south. Ha! Blessings to you! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your gentle and thorough encouragement to take the highroad when it comes to less than ideal circumstances. 🙂 Hearing is the sense I prefer to indulge on rainy days, such as today. The sound of rain often soothes me right into a nap, such as today.
I agree, Sandra! This morning, I heard the sound of sleet playing its own little melody against my window. I’m glad you were able to get some rest. Now, that’s a blessing! Thank you for taking the time to share. Blessings, friend. 🙂
The smell of a fresh pot of hot coffee…and, this might sound odd, but I enjoy ice cream a little more on a rainy day. I can appreciate the flavors more when I am not concerned about it quickly melting in summer heat.
When we’re talking ice cream, nothing sounds odd — any day is a good day! Ha! But now I have a new appreciation for the non-melting perspective. 🙂 Love the drawing! Thanks for taking the time to share.
I will have to go back to these suggestions in April…when our rain season kicks in. You are so creative! Today the sun is shining and some of the snow is melting, yay!
I wish we had snow to melt, Cynthia! I think we’re the only ones who missed it. 🙁 Let me know how the suggestions work in April. Blessings, friend!
What a great reminder, Cathy! I’ve been complaining and complaining about the rain. Truth is if I don’t have to go out, they are my favorite days! Beautiful post!
Thank you, Tammy. 🙂 They’re some of my favorite too.