Rain!!!
We love rain! Rain is what makes the grass grown and fills up the creeks with water, taking a big load off the pipeline and windmills. First- credit where credit is due:Gen 2:5 Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.
Deuteronomy 11:16-21
"Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them. (17) "Or the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and He will shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its fruit; and you will perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you. (18) "You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. (19) "You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. (20) "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, (21) so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth.1 Kings 8:35-36
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them, (36) then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and of Your people Israel, indeed, teach them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain on Your land, which You have given Your people for an inheritance.Job 5:7-11
For man is born for trouble, As sparks fly upward. (8) "But as for me, I would seek God, And I would place my cause before God; (9) Who does great and unsearchable things, Wonders without number. (10) "He gives rain on the earth And sends water on the fields, (11) So that He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety.Psalms 147:7-8
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; Sing praises to our God on the lyre, (8) Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who provides rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.Matthew 5:44-45
"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (45) so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.James 5:16-18
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. (17) Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. (18) Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
See the Scenery page for pictures of rain clouds a' rollin' in.
This is what a good rain can do. First of all, it fills up the creeks which is great!!! Secondly, when the creeks run, they wash all the old vegetation off and that stuff gets clogged in the fences and.....rips them out!! Any smart rancher crosses creeks with a "water gap" fence, designed to break-away either in the middle of the fence (like double doors) or each end. I really prefer the middle opening because then the fence will flop off to each side. This fence, however, is a side-break (and I need to fix it....). This is the day after a big rain and the water has subsided some, although it's still running. When I went out to check this gap, it was gone. I found the fence washed into the under-road culverts and, amazingly, was able to pull it out intact.
Just to give you an idea, this is the road leading into the creek. The shot above is to the left of this photo. There are rocks on top of the road that were washed there by the flood. The creek rose so much that it flowed over the bridge. See the dark area just past the bridge? That's trash left from the water, and you can see it marking the high-water point all along the creek. That's some serious water.
Here's a shot looking down the creek. It's full of water!! Yes!!! This much water will last all summer long, easily.
Another picture of a rain-swollen creek. Awesome.