Wife:   Noah, dear, what are you doing up so late? Are you worrying again?

Noah:   No, I’m just going over our business affairs trying to get them in order. You know, investments, stock options, grain futures, etc. etc. etc.

Wife:   Why don’t you just come to bed? All these worries will be here when you wake up in the morning.

Noah:   You don’t understand dear. I’ve got to get our finances in order. I have big plans for us.

Wife:   Oh Noah, you and your big plans. What are you dreaming about now?

Noah:   I know I’ve had a few hair-brained schemes in my day, darling. But this is legitimate. You know I’m not getting any younger and I do want to retire someday. And it’s never going to happen on a farmer’s income.

Wife:   Noah, we’ve got more than enough to keep us going for a few years. Besides, you’re 600 years old. How much longer do you think we’re going to live anyway?

Noah:   Are you kidding! Grandpa Methuselah is 969 years old and still kicking! I don’t want to be living off friends and relatives when I reach that age!

Wife:   Oh Noah, you worry too much. God will take care of us. He always has.

Noah:   Oh yeah, like that boat building venture He sent me off on! We still haven’t sold one single boat! The original model is still sitting out back. All I get from that is heckles and jeers.

Wife:   I’m sure God had a good reason for asking you to build that boat. And I’m not so sure it had a profit motive.

Noah:   And have you seen all those animals out there! What am I going to do with all those animals? Have you seen what they’ve done to our yard?

Wife:   Well, the kids in the neighborhood seem to enjoy them.

Noah:   Oh well, I’m glad the kids are enjoying them. Maybe I’ll have to start charging admission.

Wife:   Hey, that’s a great idea. Charge admission for people to come see the animals. We’ll market it as some big family fun thing.

Noah:   Nah, It would never work. Who would pay money to come look at animals lie around?

Wife:   Noah, get a grip. You’re always planning and scheming. First you want a bigger house, then its a bigger farm, then its your own business, and on and on and on. Have you ever stopped to figure out what God would want you to do?

Noah:   Oh come on. I’m just an old man with three sons, a big boat, and a ton of animals in my yard. What could God possibly have planned for me?

Wife:   Well Noah, you never know until you ask.

Noah:   Alright. (pause) Lord if you have some great plan for me, give me some sort of a sign. Nothing big, just something to give me a clue. Just some little sign that you want something for me.

(a crash of lightning)

Noah:    Uh … dear … does that sound like rain to you?