The Rainbow Connection

The people in Texas are seeing quite a bit of rain right now, courtesy of Ike.

I pray for them.

My week has been much less catastrophic, but not very fun nonetheless.

This week has been my most difficult since the move.

I won't go all into the "why" of it all, but by my Sabbath Day yesterday I was in tears.

And then came the rain.

I was preparing to go to a cookout with some new friends and their families.

We're all 40 or under, 3 of 4 of the couples have kids, and four of us are ordained ministers in this town. We all moved to this place less than 18 months ago to pastor established churches here, and we represent 3 denominations: United Methodist, Presbyterian (USA), and Baptist (Cooperative Fellowship). We're glad to be in relationship. We look forward to what God will do through our ecumenical friendship and partnership.

But just about an hour before my husband, son, and I were to leave for the get-together, the bottom fell out of the clouds. It rained hard and heavy for the next hour, but subsided just as we were leaving.

As we pulled onto our street, I saw it:

A beautiful, full, bright rainbow: the brightest and widest I've ever seen.

It was gorgeous.

And it said:

After the rain, there is always the promise.

After the rain, somewhere there is a rainbow.

After the rain, there is still God.

After the rain, there is beauty.

After my morning tears, my evening was full of laughter. We all had a wonderful time watching the kids play, grilling out, venting about the things only other ministers and their families understand, and knowing that God will see all of us through, if we will only be faithful.

Thank you, God, for rainbows and friends.