Sunday, our house church watched a video titled Rain performed by American author and speaker Rob Bell. When it came time for group discussion and my turn to answer a question, I was like a deer in the headlights. But Monday morning, I sought solace for my aforementioned silence in the lyrics of Supertramp, hoping that inveterate English progressive art rock band (formed in 1969) could help me answer Rob Bell’s probing questions put forth in his video’s spiritual narrative. Singing true, I present some of Mr. Bell’s questions with answers parsed from the Supertramp’s lyrics to “It’s Raining Again” with my annotations as parentheticals:
| Rob Bell | Supertramp |
| What are some of the storms in your life? | It’s raining again (memories of the 2016 Magnolia flood disaster…thought to be a Fluke) |
| Is it raining now? | Oh no, it’s raining again (Hi! Fluke II Harvey… recovery) |
| Do you think God intentionally puts us through trials? | And you know it’s hard to pretend (it IS a trial and it SEEMS intentional…a curse?) |
| Looking back, do you still feel the same? | Oh, will my heart ever mend (trauma waters run deep but eventually run out) |
| Have you ever felt like God failed to come through for you? | La, la, la, la, la, la, la |
| Do you ever act like everything is okay even when it isn’t? | You’re old enough some people say To read the signs and walk away (acting okay is what we do) |
| Looking back, do you still feel the same? | It’s only time that heals the pain And makes the sun come out again (when faith betrays – cliché!) |
| Why do we do this? | La, la, la, la, la, la, la |
| Do you have anyone in your life who you would do anything for? | Too bad I’m losing a friend (in crises, some relationships break allowing new ones to blossom) |
| Do you think that’s how God feels about you? | Come on, you little fighter (an ethereal voice keeps singing) |
| When you’re going through really hard times and everything seems hopeless, do you still trust that God knows the way and that you’re going to make it? | And get back up again (that’s hope He’s bringing) |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prVZv2Yq70Y | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZUE4_PtOk0 |