A Gentle Reminder From God...A Double Dose of Beauty!

I have to laugh at the amazing sense of humor God has with us humans. I would imagine He tempers it with a little pity at how we behave.
In my previous post, I spoke some very real home truths about the state of affairs of the county in which I reside. There are many problems, they are old and frustrating, ingrained politics and the potential for any sort of storm only seemed to add a cloud of dread on top of the looming cloud of conspiracy and neglect.
This is a "two-post day," however. It had to be.
My mom called and we were chatting about this and that. We discussed, of course, the weather, I was telling her what a great time we had with Marah and Kevin, that they had gone back to Wilmington, they made it back safely and the usual "mom/daughter talk." During our conversation, Geordie went to the door and stood, letting me know he needed to go out. I went with him so I could check out the cloud cover during the break in the rain and have a look at the other animals.
Behind my house, it was (and is) very dark. I focused on the intensity of the dark clouds, how low they hung and how oppressive they seemed. I turned, looking out at the goats and Geordie, and for some reason, I just looked up, expecting more of the same, but there was a break in the clouds right over the pond. There was a HUGE RAINBOW that covered our property from end to end. I literally gasped a breath and said, "MOM!" I was describing how vivid this rainbow was...it was stunning! Then much to my surprise, I looked UP a little further and just above Rainbow #1 was RAINBOW #2!
Mom encouraged me to run and grab my camera, which I did. I wish I had been able to get a wide angle shot, but the photos I got were perfect just as I got them.
I believe I was given a "gentle reminder" from God. I am assured that no matter how crazy humans get, how bleak and stormy things might seem, there is ALWAYS a rainbow of hope...we just have to LOOK UP TO FIND IT!!! What a beautiful, simple, gentle comfort. When we are looking down, how can we see a rainbow? It's impossible. I could have wandered around outside, looking "across" at animals, watching my step in the drive and had I never looked "up," I would have missed the rainbows. So it is with life. If we don't look UP, we miss all the good things, all the joy and all the gentle nudges God gives us. While we may forget to to seek HIM for answers all the time and trust Him in all things, God doesn't forget. Another "message" I gleaned from this experience is that we cannot see what God holds for our future if we are looking backward. I had been looking toward the back of our property and I only saw darkness, stormy, ominous looking clouds and more rain. I could have walked back upstairs having seen that and would have totally missed what God wanted so much for me to see. COLORS! BRILLIANCE! BEAUTY! And most importantly, God let me know He is always above me, near me and wanting only the best for me.
Let it rain! Let it storm! In fact, bring on ALL the storms of life, both literal and figurative. God just reminded me in the most simple and beautiful of ways that He is indeed all knowing and by walking in faith, everything thing will be just fine.
It doesn't get any better than that.
GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES.
Amen.
Till next time,
Annie

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