Missing Rainbows?

Today when we got home from Good News Club we discovered this radiant rainbow, the biggest one I've ever seen!

Genesis 9:16

And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.


Every time I see a rainbow it makes me wonder if it was placed there just for me. :)


 I read a true story once about a teenage girl who was going through a difficult time and happened to read the story of the rainbow in Genesis. She cried out to God, "Where is my rainbow?" and the very next day there was the most brilliant rainbow she had ever laid eyes on, right outside her window.


I always thought that was one of the sweetest stories I had ever heard of. And it makes me wonder, what rainbows am I missing in my life? Are there little assurances of God's promises that He leaves in my path and I have failed to notice?


What do you think?

Instead...

There is a struggle of emotions that goes on in me when I look ahead to Thanksgiving. I am naturally pessimistic, not that I necessarily look for bad things to happen - though I certainly try to be prepared for them - but more often than not I see the bad rather than the good in my life. It is a terrible habit but, there it is.

Right now I am tempted to look at my dad's unemployment struggle instead of seeing how God has faithfully taken care of us through it all.

 I want to feel sorry for myself when I see how my family is spread out across the whole world, instead of thanking God for how close our hearts still are.

I want to mourn the loss of my grandparents instead of shouting for joy at the knowledge that they are in heaven!

But God has been cultivating a spirit of thankfulness instead of fear in me this year. He has opened my eyes to see His overwhelming goodness and faithful love. I am forever grateful. Or at least I should be!

This year -
~ I have been surrounded by people who love me.
~ I have regained my health.
~ I have spent time with my entire family, together.
~ My grandfather has come through two dangerous operations.
~ I made two amazing trips to Russia.
~ I have learned that money and health insurance do not take care of us. God does.
~ I have discovered what a great blessing it is to be so intimately connected with my siblings' ministries.
~ I have cried and struggled through many difficult things and been carried through it all by the Everlasting Arms.
~ God has allowed me to have a positive impact in childrens' lives.
~ God has taught me what true humility looks like.
~ I have been overwhelmed by Jesus' vast love for me!

Humility

I've been reading a lot about humility these past few weeks. God has been impressing on me my very great lack of it! But it hasn't been at all unpleasant...You know, only a gracious, loving God like mine could make something like learning humility something that fills my soul with joy and gives me a more confident assurance of His love!

I think the passage that most encouraged me during this study was Deuteronomy 8.

"And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your GOD has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD ...
...For the LORD  your GOD is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth into valleys and hills.
...In the wilderness He fed you manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end."
Deuteronomy 8:2-3,7,16

I've been through a lot of wilderness, barren places. I don't mean that I've had a hard life, but many times my spiritual life has been extremely dry. I used to think those times meant God was unhappy with or disappointed in me, waiting for me to get my act together...but I don't think so any more.

Recently we had a ladies conference at my church and one of the speakers said something very poignant for me; she was speaking about Sarah, Abraham's wife and how her barrenness was viewed as a disgrace, God's disapproval even! And then she pointed out how we, today, often view our times of "barrenness" as God's disapproval when it's not!

God says He leads us through the wilderness to humble us and teach us that we need Him so that He can lead us to good places. So, the times I have been thinking were proof of God's disappointment were instead proof of God's most tender, unending love in offering me His own strength. How marvelous!

Havin' Me A Think

Well, you will be happy to know I have NOT dropped off the face of the earth!....You ARE glad, right? *wink*

Nope, I am still alive and well! I have just been taking some time off to have me a think. (That's Southern talk in case you didn't know and are completely shocked at my terrible grammar.) I didn't actually know that's why I was taking time off, because at first I just didn't have any inspiration or will to write, except in my good 'ole journal of course. (Okay maybe I'm a terrible Southerner but now even I am sick of my fake accent.) But after a week or two I realized God had some things to teach me and it was time for me to be quiet for a while.

Now my itch to write has returned and I have never been so happy to "scratch" it. I was beginning to think it was gone for good!

With this fresh start you may have noticed my new look. I was appalled when I returned to see how limp my blog looked. I think this look is much more fun and represents my personality better. To be honest, I think the reason I had to take a break was because it was getting waaaay too stuffy on here! Or maybe I was trying to force myself to fit a stuffy personality. (Maybe it was just all in my head *smile* That's probably closer to the truth.)

To sum up, I had a very good break but I am very happy to be back!