When Getting Stuck at a Red Light Is Good

I wake to sing three little ones from nightly cocoons.  They mutter and stir, then stumble to the floor, their wings tightly closed as they follow in my wake to dress in the bathroom.

There are fewer and fewer mornings when nothing beckons on the calendar, but today, I don't hurry to dress myself and put breakfast on the table before they make it downstairs to the kitchen.

Instead, I sit on a stool, the monkey head rug soft under my bare feet.  With mommy only a foot off the floor, it's easy for everyone to sneak in a snuggle as part of the morning routine--a forehead kiss here, a comforting cheek-rub there, a rumpling of newly-shorn military-short hair.

Emerson is first to reach me.  My youngest by three minutes, he is my happiest morning child, always ready to face the day even when I may still want to hide my eyes that aren't quite accustomed to the intensity of light shining through the eastern window.

Elbows on my knees, I cover my eyes against the glare.  Suddenly, he shouts, "Rainbows!"

I raise up and look to where he's pointing.

Sure enough, the early summer sun has drawn a rainbow-shaped arc against the shower wall.  There may be no visible color that most would use to identify a rainbow, but to him, this is as exciting as a full array of seven colors.

His face is absolutely radiant at finding this early-morning surprise.

Hearing his proclamation, two sleepyheads dart in the bathroom door with the question, "Where!?  Where!? Where are the rainbows!?"

These three who were seconds ago reluctant to break out of their cocoons are now all ecstatic, bubbling with chatterbox joy as they take flight.


***

My eyes are attuned to rainbows. Whereas some people see crosses or the letter "Y" for "Yahweh" in their everyday lives as a sign of God's presence, my mother taught me to see rainbows.  I see rainbows at every turn, making me pause in continued wonder, and reminding me that I serve a covenant God who will not leave me nor forsake me.

That excitement never dims.

At five and three, my children are learning the same--to see rainbows everywhere. 

We were blessed with perfect rainbows just this past Thursday morning at a most unexpected place--a long red light.

Driving to prayer walk in a subdivision, the light stopped us right past a water truck parked on the shoulder of the road.  As we sat, the truck began shooting wide arcs of water in fire-truck strength bursts onto newly placed sod.

Our car literally rocked with squeals of delight as we four watched rainbow after rainbow form complete arcs then dissolve in the watery spray lit by the rising-sun.

If you happened to see us (or someone like us) a little giddy over a rainbow or maybe something equally simple, instead of thinking "what's the big deal," try joining in the praise with us.

It may be in a bath tub or at a red light or in your own backyard.

Find God in the simple.  Praise Him in the simple.  And prepare to receive the blessed joy that is anything but.