Embraced By Hope

"Rain, rain go away - come again another day. This was my lament. Dane was at a delicate place in completing a project. My campfire was just about perfect for the soon-to-be enjoyed s'mores. Rain wasn't in the schedule and not a welcome addition to our plans. No, God, please - not rain - not right now. Yes, the earth does need rain - but God...........I have these plans and rain doesn't fit them well. Could you wait until another time to rain? Wah, wah, wah, on went my whining until the downpour of rain told me strongly that God intended for it to rain and for it to rain right now - despite my plans. My plans didn't coincide with God's plans and His plans were best. Hum..........are there other areas of my life when I whine at God to change His plans to suit mine?

As I sulked in my chair under the awning, a bright light caught my eye. It was a rainbow, one of the most brilliant and wide rainbows I've ever seen. I have a passion for rainbows and sunsets. I have lots of photos of gorgeous sunsets, but not many rainbows. To have a beautiful rainbow, first there must be a storm. This rainbow seemed to come right up out of the Canadian mountains and it's arc was complete, ending out over the water to the east - just as bold at one end as the other. As I grabbed my camera to capture this gift, there appeared yet another rainbow, not as bright, but there, just the same. Two rainbows, a sight I rarely see!

Dane was able to complete his project just before the rain got really heavy and there will be other evenings for camp fires and s'mores. The rain that I saw as an intrusion was God's plan to bless me and to answer my request to Him.

I've been purposing to quiet myself, listen to God's whispers to me and look for ways He is showing up in my life for me personally. God showed up through the rainbow, but first I had to trust His plan, a plan that didn't match the plan I had for the evening.

Without the rain I would have missed a beautiful meeting with Him. I purpose to continue to watch and listen for God and to look at areas of my life where I miss His gifts to me because of my resistance to His plan while clamouring for my own.