Clear water bubbled from the fountain and shot heavenward like liquid crystals; then, spilled into the blue pool. Strolling up to it from a sea of cars in the parking lot was like trudging through a dark, dense thicket in the forest and emerging on the other side into a bright, sunny day. The presence of water spurting triggered thankfulness for prayers answered and delight renewed. Until several years ago I’d taken the fountain for granted. In the summers I had relaxed with my family on the patio of a restaurant at the mall that overlooked the dancing water in a city in Georgia. Even shoppers walking past it and diners chatting near me hadn’t drowned out its sweet babbling / splashing sounds that had sent soothing vibrations into the busy day. Erupting from the cement, sparkling underneath the sun, it had brought nature to life amid the asphalt and concrete buildings, until the drought.
Since the dry spell had lasted for a couple of long years the fountain had sat quiet. Each time I had walked past the dormant decoration, I had thought of those ghost towns I used to see in western movies, when I was a kid. Since I, like nearly everyone else, had gotten accustomed to rationing my water when washing clothes, brushing my teeth, showering and using the kitchen sink, it struck me as strange that the idle fountain had such an impact on me, but it did. It was a visual reminder that Georgians were in drastic need of a life sustaining force.
Georgia, Alabama and Florida all had shared in bounty from a large lake near Atlanta, Lake Lanier. When the supply had dropped to extremely low levels, quarrels and threats of law suits among the states had dominated the airways. At one time Georgians had looked into trying to annex part of Tennessee, claiming that an old survey had wrongly placed part of one of its water sources in that state. We all had thoughtlessly taken one of God’s blessings for granted until we no longer had it in abundance. Seeing the fountain today, I gasped in glee.
We’ve been having record rain and many are saying “enough” water. Perhaps, now Georgians need to pray for the right balance of rain and sunshine. But water spraying from the fountain brings joy to my heart and reminds me of all the natural resources God has given us. For these and all of God’s blessings I am thankful.
1Chronicles 16: 8 - 9: “Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.”
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