After the Storm

My cousin Liz (blog link listed to the right) wrote today about storms and how much she enjoys them. Like her family, I've been in some pretty bad storms, literally and figuratively. A few days before my high school graduation, one of the worst tornadoes on record (I believe it was an F5) destroyed much of my small home town. It was just a few years later while living in Florida that I was in the middle of Hurricane Andrew (that was definitely an F5!). And after moving to Minnesota, we've had many a bad thunder storm as well as several hail storms, even a tornado last year.

A few weeks back, we had another pretty stormy day, but after the rain was done, Tony and I took the kids outside to show them the beauty that came from that storm. It wasn't just a rainbow, but a double, luminescent rainbow that we saw forming before our eyes. I think this was the first time I actually saw the full visible colors of the rainbow, from red all the way down to the purple/violet. Absolutely gorgeous! (please...ignore the Christmas lights still hanging from our overhang!)

As we go through life, we're going to face many storms. Some may be small, personal ones that those around us aren't even aware of. Others involve many other people around us. Still others may pass by us without affecting us, while we see others going through the storm.

A dear friend of mine right now is going through a family storm. Her brother was in a horrible car accident. The other driver was killed, and her brother's life is forever changed. He faces a long recovery, and in some areas things will never go back to "normal." Just before this happened, another lady who is a pioneer in the home school field, was also in a terrible car accident. She, too, had extensive injuries and her life has been altered forever, too.

I have friends who have lost children; friends who have children with different diseases, many of which there are no cures who have no hope of what many would consider a "normal" life. Loved ones who have lost jobs and are wondering what is going to happen when the money runs out. We wonder daily about weather and crop conditions and how that is going to affect our farm. There are other loved ones still who are taking care of aging parents, some who are taking care of little children, sick friends and relatives. People who have someone close to them...or perhaps are themselves...serving in the miltary, far from home, wondering if they'll ever see home again...and if they'll ever not see the horrors war brings. There are lives put "on hold" from what we'd rather be doing while we deal instead with a hidden (sometimes very hidden!) blessing God has given to us for the time being.

And yet, through it all, God is there. We may not be able to see Him, but He gives us visible signs that He is with us through the storms...and all the times. Rainbows. Smiles on children's faces. A hug. Unexpected blessings and reminders of how good He is and how much He loves us. And remembers us. And is there to carry us through the storms we face. And the cool thing is...He will never let us experience a storm that we cannot get through. We may not think we can last, our faith may waiver, but God knows we can get thru....with His help. When you go thru your storms...don't give up on God -- cuz He sure isn't giving up on you!

God is so awesome!