Storms in life...

I was orginally just going to post another Alaina story (because secretly I didn't want anyone else reading about my emotional break down, so I figured I better post something else quick...) but then, in the midst of all my errand running after school, God spoke to me.

You see, we had this gigantic storm come raging through our part of town right as school was letting out. It went on for over an hour, lightning, thunder, gushing winds, all the good stuff...very intense.

Then it slows, even stops raining. It was still dreary outside, and looked as though it could start back up at any minute, but it had stopped.

And as I looked out my car window I saw the most incredible rainbow. It was huge. Its colors were bright, but smothered in the heavy dark clouds that still filled the sky. As I was looking at it, the thought crossed my mind that rainbows are always the same. The colors always go in the same order, they always arch, they always come after the storm, and they always come (whether we see them or not).

That very first rainbow that Noah saw, it looked like the one I was looking at.

No matter how intense the storm, no matter how long, no matter how unprepared you were for the rain, you have the confidence of knowing there is a rainbow waiting for you at the end of the storm.

He whispered, "The end is near. Trust me for your rainbow."

For someone who can be so resistant to change, for someone who loves tradition and consistancy, for someone who would live in the same place for the rest of her life (and ask those she loves to do the same), for this person God's desire to change us can be unsettling at times.

Today He showed me that some things never change.


P.S. I must include the original Alaina story mostly because it is too precious and because I know at least Aziner will appreciate it!

So, I asked Alaina for a hug goodbye as I was attempting to depart from their house yesterday and she quite simply refused. She wasn't ready for me to leave. Under normal circumstances I would simply have complied and stayed, but I had work that had to done. So, when she realized I was really going to leave to go work, she said I needed some toys at my work. (How did she know that?) She came back with four different toys for me to take to work. I tried to talk her down to one, and she insisted (and explained why) I needed all four. She could sense the hesitation in me, and she pounced. "Put them in your purse Ashlee."
Yes, four toys sit upon my desk. One of them is for when I go swimming. I smiled a lot at my desk today. (I also told this story numerous times!!!) Is there a cuter two year old? I doubt it!