Unweaving Rainbows

Unweaving Rainbows

I must confess. I have been a rainbow chaser for years. When I was three to five years old, I started my addiction. I remember fondly when my family and I would eat our lunch and a typical quick Florida shower would water the palms and flowers. Unexpectedly, my dad would look out of the window and suddenly leap from his chair.

“Girls, look, a rainbow. Let’s find its end.”

With this announcement mama, my sister , and I would jump into our Chevy sedan and take off to find the pot at the end of the rainbow. My sister and I would squeal with delight. Daddy headed toward Daytona . It seemed the rainbows usually clustered in that area. As a four year old, I just knew the pot of gold would be found. We sang, “ Do Lord” in harmony and "Jesus Loves Me". Dad sang in the choir and had a bellowing bass voice. Those adventures are some of my fondest memories of being reared in Clermont. We arrived at the ocean’s edge. We hurried out of the car to jump in the waves, and Daddy would announce, “ I guess we found our pot of gold.”

I still get excited when I see a rainbow. I run to my neighbors of thirty-eight years and make her view the sky with me. My husband knows I won’t give up until he too sees the magic of the rainbow. It is the symbol of promise from God that He will never totally destroy the people of the world again.

As an artist I marvel at the clarity of each color. The colors are separate yet merged. They softly bump into the next color. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet are all marvelously displayed . Many artist before me have painted scenes with rainbows in the clouds, over the mountains, and by the sea side. They too have hungered to capture the beauty.

In real life, the colors can be seen, however, only when the angle of reflection between the sun, the drops of water, and the observer’s line of vision is between 40 degrees and 42 degrees. In other words, you and I must be in the right place at the right time. Otherwise, we have no idea the rainbow is there because it is above our heads and view.

Think about it, the rainbow is there but we can’t see it. Doesn’t that remind you of faith? Hebrews describes faith as, “ the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.” (Living Bible Heb.11:2&3) So, rainbows are there , but we must inhabit a very special position to see them. In this way, the contours of the miraculous and of rainbows are the same. Even though we can’t see them, they are there. It is a matter of perspective. .

Today rainbows have even more significance. They are like God. He is with me each moment. It is only when I am in the correct position that I can hear Him, know Him, and feel His presence.

As a child it took my father’s eye to show me the rainbow. As an artist, it takes my oil paints and creative spirit to paint a rainbow. As a believer, I need to be in the position of “now” to know He is with me. I thank my earthly daddy for teaching me to cherish rainbow moments. I thank my heavenly Father for inspiring my faith with them.

Photo by Carolyn Shelton