Melbourne October 2022 "A Biblical Flood avoided"
24/10/22 14:09
We have flown to Australia for our eldest son's wedding. Because of the Covid outbreak that had been delayed until we could all get together again and that time is now. We are really looking forward to a great day filled with joy and happiness but there is just one problem, rain is forecast. It is not one of those typical dull wet UK weather days that is expected and neither will it be a Malaysian half hour tropical storm, no, this will be once in a lifetime combination of both that will hit Melbourne on my son's wedding day. As the day draws closer the apocalyptic weather forecasts feature as the main news item on the TV and we start to draw up wet weather plans.
The event is planned to be indoors but the weather will impact on the wedding photos and the travel plans of the guests. The weather is rapidly becoming the main feature of our conversations rather than the wedding itself. Too many "What if this .." and "What if that .." are spoiling the build up to what should be their great day. There is little we can do except pray so that is exactly what we do. In the week leading up to their wedding day I pray everyday that the rain holds off until we are all inside the venue. It is planned to be an evening event so that should give time for outdoor photographs and not deter any of the guests from coming. Even so, on the evening before the wedding day, we go to the shops to buy umbrellas. They're expensive and I think the price has been marked up due to demand.
The big day arrives and we awake to find an overcast day with rain threatening but never managing to become more than a few spots rather than a deluge. My son and his wife to be head off for their photographs whilst we settle down to skywatch for that rain is still forecast to come at any time. It doesn't. Hours go by and the car to take us to the wedding venue arrives. We take our new umbrella with us but it is not opened. It is still only threatening rain as we enter the venue and take up our places. All is good, everyone is now seated, the bride and groom have arrived, the ceremony is about to begin and then .. the heavens open. On the roof above our heads you can hear the sound of a tropical storm thundering away and its pouring rain down on to Melbourne but not on us for we are all inside and dry. Well not all of us are dry, there are tears of joy streaming down my face for what I had prayed for was exactly what had come to pass and I was thanking the Lord for giving me what my heart desired. The rain lasted for a couple of hours and had stopped by when it was time for us to leave. Our umbrella went unused.
Before we flew back to Malaysia my younger son planned to propose to his girlfriend. It was a week after the wedding and I was instructed to put on my suit on for a visit to the local park with them. I thought that was probably a bit of a giveaway to his intended that something was up! Anyway we left them and sat about 300m away waiting for him to pop the question so we could all head off to lunch to celebrate. Then it started raining. That had been expected but we had hoped it would not be until later in the day. My wife looked at me and said "it is going to spoil everything", I looked up to the heaven's and said "Lord, do it again". I prayed for the rain to hold off long enough for our son to say all the right words and the rain stopped. Fifteen minutes later we could see that he had proposed and got the right answer! I thanked our Lord again for answering my prayers.
The event is planned to be indoors but the weather will impact on the wedding photos and the travel plans of the guests. The weather is rapidly becoming the main feature of our conversations rather than the wedding itself. Too many "What if this .." and "What if that .." are spoiling the build up to what should be their great day. There is little we can do except pray so that is exactly what we do. In the week leading up to their wedding day I pray everyday that the rain holds off until we are all inside the venue. It is planned to be an evening event so that should give time for outdoor photographs and not deter any of the guests from coming. Even so, on the evening before the wedding day, we go to the shops to buy umbrellas. They're expensive and I think the price has been marked up due to demand.
The big day arrives and we awake to find an overcast day with rain threatening but never managing to become more than a few spots rather than a deluge. My son and his wife to be head off for their photographs whilst we settle down to skywatch for that rain is still forecast to come at any time. It doesn't. Hours go by and the car to take us to the wedding venue arrives. We take our new umbrella with us but it is not opened. It is still only threatening rain as we enter the venue and take up our places. All is good, everyone is now seated, the bride and groom have arrived, the ceremony is about to begin and then .. the heavens open. On the roof above our heads you can hear the sound of a tropical storm thundering away and its pouring rain down on to Melbourne but not on us for we are all inside and dry. Well not all of us are dry, there are tears of joy streaming down my face for what I had prayed for was exactly what had come to pass and I was thanking the Lord for giving me what my heart desired. The rain lasted for a couple of hours and had stopped by when it was time for us to leave. Our umbrella went unused.
Before we flew back to Malaysia my younger son planned to propose to his girlfriend. It was a week after the wedding and I was instructed to put on my suit on for a visit to the local park with them. I thought that was probably a bit of a giveaway to his intended that something was up! Anyway we left them and sat about 300m away waiting for him to pop the question so we could all head off to lunch to celebrate. Then it started raining. That had been expected but we had hoped it would not be until later in the day. My wife looked at me and said "it is going to spoil everything", I looked up to the heaven's and said "Lord, do it again". I prayed for the rain to hold off long enough for our son to say all the right words and the rain stopped. Fifteen minutes later we could see that he had proposed and got the right answer! I thanked our Lord again for answering my prayers.