When I saw the rainbows, I immediately thought of a phrase from the book Water, Come Down! by Walter Wangerin, Jr. : "So after the rainstorms, dear child of mine, Whenever you see it, that rainbow's a sign That God is with you; and God is kind: He'll never let you go."
The book is about baptism and it has beautiful rhythm, vibrant illustrations and is truly a pleasure to read aloud.
On the day that I took this photo, when that phrase came to mind and I remembered the promise of a rainbow in the story of Noah, it was one of those moments when I felt like God touched my heart and said, "I'm with you through the rain and storms and I'm taking care of you."
We had a beautiful hike here in Letchworth State Park that day..even if I was 32 weeks pregnant and totally unprepared to do 3 + miles with some inclines. ;) The gorge and waterfall where I took the photo is breathtaking. (I also have great pictures of my family looking over the stone wall at the falls.)
The beauty can draw you in and make you want to get a closer look. It can also lead to a false sense of security. The first time we visited this park in 2008, we saw adults and children standing on the stone barrier to pose for photos. We are the safety parents so that wasn't happening in this family (and *J* got antsy if his brothers even leaned on the wall to look down the steep incline..)
Unfortunately, not everyone obeys the barriers and this park has been the site of at least one fatal accident each year, including one last weekend. How very sad...and preventable.
The accident served as an opportunity to explain why we are so strict about following safety rules and staying on the right side of the barriers. (It also gave *J* an opportunity to say, "See...")
As I walk through life, there are lots of things that draw me in...make me want to get a closer look, a more intense experience Some are harmless, others...not so much. God is always walking beside me, but that doesn't mean I can run headfirst into things without thinking, because there can be consequences...some unintended and quite unexpected.
Of course, I don't always think everything through as I should and there are some things I could never predict. But when there are safeguards in place, it's my job to follow them and to teach my children why they should too. And than I can hope (and pray) that they're listening.
Just like I hope the boys have listened each of the times I've read this book to them. I wonder if any of them thought, "...Whenever you see it, that' rainbow's a sign That God is with you; and God is kind: He'll never let you go." when they saw those rainbows?
Do you remember that promise when you see rainbows?
-Peace
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