Both of my girls have gone through (well, Hannah is still in it) a phase where they are obsessed with rainbows. Colorful crayoned arcs decorate pictures, cards and banners that decorate my house and are bestowed on lucky friends and neighbors. Coloring book creatures eschew the tame colors nature has gifted them with in favor of more vivid (multiple) hues. ("Look Mom, I drew a rainbow pig!").

As a collector of Noah's Ark "stuff", I love rainbows, too. They remind me of the promise of God's love. They remind me of his care for his people before, during, and after the earth was ravaged by the floods.

It's been storming at my house. Not literally (too bad, because it's 118 at my house right now), but emotionally. After an exhausting, HOT, "touched out" (you'll understand this if you've nursed and had other kiddos around) day, I received a late evening phone call that resulted in my running to the neighbors to (by God's grace) provide some counsel in a horrifying life-and-death situation.

I know God is in control, but the night was not a pleasant one. Storms of doubt, storms of sadness, wondering if I said enough, if I loved enough, if I emptied myself out and let Christ minister through me. I woke up more tired than I lay down.

The morning wasn't too much better--I dragged through errands with my children, fighting off tears at each frustration, fighting off the sense of grief at all of the pain I had witnessed the night before, fighting off the urge to blow off a playdate with some women from church whom I didn't really know that would require a 45 minute drive to get there. The storm continued to rage around me.

The the Lord began to send rainbows.

The baby didn't cry at all on the drive there (this isn't just a rainbow, folks, this is a miracle!). A friend called my cell phone and told me how impressed she had been to pray for me the previous night.

I sat and began to form friendships with these women who love the Lord. We munched on "rainbow" M&M cookies that my older children had made to share with their friends. My spirit was nurtured and my heart was refreshed. It was still loud (there were 15 children there), still hot, and I was still reeling from the storm, but my heart was lightened.

The baby didn't cry on the way home, despite a traffic jam, the older kids didn't quarrel (maybe they were too hot!)

On arriving home, I changed my sweaty baby into fresh clothes. He looked up a me and began to laugh. Not a giggle, but a full and beautiful belly laugh. I began to laugh with him, and as I laughed the storm broke inside of me and tears poured down my face as I laughed and cried and allowed myself to be encircled by the rainbow of God's promised care for not just me, but those I was so burdened for.

Thank you, Father for coloring my day "rainbow". Help me to look for the rainbows you set before me to remind me of your love and perfect provision. Thank you for being there in every storm.