As Gideon and I did our errands, they ran a little long - as they often do - and he began to get tired of sitting in a cart and entertaining himself. He started getting tired and hungry and like any man, a little fussy. So I did what any smart mother would do - I picked up a small container of goldfish and a to-go pack of applesauce and let him snack away, buying myself a few extra minutes of time. However, the last 10 minutes in Target were basically an exercise in me smiling at all the patrons who were looking at the mother with a crying toddler and ignoring ALL OF IT (including the tantrum). As we checked out and made our way to the door, I only then realized that I couldn't see farther than 2 feet into the parking lot because it was raining so hard!
I looked from my toddler in the middle of a full fledged meltdown and the tornado outside and made the ONLY rational decision - I pushed my cart into the elements. Gideon was fascinated by the rain and his mood instantly improved! He laughed and screamed - now from JOY- tipping his face to the heavens to drink in the rain and reaching his sweet arms up to catch every last drop. As I ran through the parking lot, it occured to me that it was the same rain drenching my precious son as me and countless others, but no one else seemed to derive the same joy from the moment as him. I took a deep breath and sealed that moment in my mind for eternity. Joy doesn't come FROM our circumstances, it comes IN our circumstances.
As we drove home, we left the worst of the storm behind us. When we got home, the sun was shining brightly, but it was still raining. I marveled at the irony of it all - life is often like this. Sun and rain occurring simultaneously. I knew that only one thing could come from this. A rainbow! Sure enough, one appeared later and it was a gorgeous one. A promise of peace and new beginnings.
Later that evening, the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen filled the sky. Golds and pinks and oranges painted the horizon. I tried taking some pictures, but they didn't do it the justice it deserved. I was struck just how amazing God is. Earlier in the day, in the midst of the tantrums and the storms, there is no way I could have known how the day would end. In such beauty and glory! With a promise of renewal. A reminder to all who looked out their windows that, "I AM that I AM. The beginning and the end. Storms will come. But storms pass. And I am here always. My beauty remains. My love reigns. I will take the storms of your life and make them into beautiful things, if you just hold on."
Isaiah 61
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
61 The Spirit of the Almighty Lord is with me
because the Lord has anointed me
to deliver good news to humble people.
He has sent me
to heal those who are brokenhearted,
to announce that captives will be set free
and prisoners will be released.
2 He has sent me
to announce the year of the Lord’s good will
and the day of our God’s vengeance,
to comfort all those who grieve.
3 He has sent me
to provide for all those who grieve in Zion,
to give them crowns instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of tears of grief,
and clothes of praise instead of a spirit of weakness.
because the Lord has anointed me
to deliver good news to humble people.
He has sent me
to heal those who are brokenhearted,
to announce that captives will be set free
and prisoners will be released.
2 He has sent me
to announce the year of the Lord’s good will
and the day of our God’s vengeance,
to comfort all those who grieve.
3 He has sent me
to provide for all those who grieve in Zion,
to give them crowns instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of tears of grief,
and clothes of praise instead of a spirit of weakness.
They will be called Oaks of Righteousness,
the Plantings of the Lord,
so that he might display his glory.
the Plantings of the Lord,
so that he might display his glory.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins.
They will restore the places destroyed long ago.
They will renew the ruined cities, the places destroyed generations ago.
5 Foreigners will come forward and become shepherds for your flocks,
and children of foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 You will be called the priests of the Lord.
You will be called the servants of our God.
You will consume the wealth of the nations.
You will boast in their splendor.
7 You will receive a double measure of wealth instead of your shame.
You will sing about your wealth instead of being disgraced.
That is why you will have a double measure of wealth in your land.
You will have everlasting joy.
8 I, the Lord, love justice.
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
I will faithfully reward my people’s work.
I will make an everlasting promise[a] to them.
9 Then their offspring will be known among the nations
and their descendants among the people.
Everyone who sees them will recognize
that they are the descendants whom the Lord has blessed.
They will restore the places destroyed long ago.
They will renew the ruined cities, the places destroyed generations ago.
5 Foreigners will come forward and become shepherds for your flocks,
and children of foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 You will be called the priests of the Lord.
You will be called the servants of our God.
You will consume the wealth of the nations.
You will boast in their splendor.
7 You will receive a double measure of wealth instead of your shame.
You will sing about your wealth instead of being disgraced.
That is why you will have a double measure of wealth in your land.
You will have everlasting joy.
8 I, the Lord, love justice.
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
I will faithfully reward my people’s work.
I will make an everlasting promise[a] to them.
9 Then their offspring will be known among the nations
and their descendants among the people.
Everyone who sees them will recognize
that they are the descendants whom the Lord has blessed.
(emphasis mine)
Thank you Lord, for just enough light for the step that I am on....
