Last week after a few days of Sophia begging me to take them the pool, I promised that we would go on Wednesday morning.

Tuesday night I had the inclination to check the weather. Sophia was so excited and I didn’t want her to be destroyed if something like rain ruined the plans. Well, the mean ol’ weather channel divulged the news that there were to be thunderstorms and rain ALL DAY! Boo-hoo!

I told Sophia that we probably couldn’t go to the pool in the morning and that we would try to go again the next day.

I did think about praying with her that God would help it not to rain, but 1, though I want my kids to know how deeply God loves them, I do not want them to think of him as existing for the sole purpose of meeting their demands; 2 , I didn’t want to have to explain God’s transcendent will if she prayed that it wouldn’t rain and it did; and 3, this was all extremely close to lights out at bedtime and I really just wanted them to go to bed. Great mom, I know.

Sure enough, we woke up early to rain.

I stayed in bed after Paul left and debated whether I wanted it to stop or not. Again, Captain Unselfishness.

The rain stopped just as the girls woke up. I had decided that if it stopped raining we would go.

Sophia bounded out of bed, checked out the window, and danced down the hall, “Mommy, I prayed last night that God would help it to not rain, and it’s not raining!”

Wow. I was very humbled.

First, that my little girl would think to pray on her own. Next, that God would hear and answer her prayer.

The girls joy and anticipation was catchy so we all ate breakfast and cleaned up in a hurry. We marched down the stairs and the big girls came up with a little cheer that the little girls even joined.

“We’re goin’ to the pool.” Clap, clap. “We’re goin’ to the pool.” Clap, clap.

Even though it was not raining, I still didn’t expect it to be that great of a day. It was very cloudy and the water would probably be cold as it had been cloudy and raining for days.

I was in for one more surprise.

When we got to the pool, the whole area was bathed with warm, wonderful sunshine. This blessing was more than I could take; now it was my turn to be excited, “Girls, God is so amazing! He didn’t just make it stop raining; He gave us sunshine!”

We had the most amazing time at the pool. Measured by such milestones as Gracie jumping in with me holding her hands; Mckayla asking for me to let go of her in the water so she could float just with her jacket, and Sophia swimming the length of the pool.

It was so humbling to sit there and talk about how we don’t deserve anything from God, yet how he blesses us in ways that are so personal.

Thank you, Lord, for answering Sophia’s prayer, for our pool, and for the sunshine that tells us every day of your glory.