lightning and rainbows

Yesterday late afternoon/early evening time the heavens opened up and down poured huge rain and a spectacular lightning show.  It was loud and like all good thunderstorms came forth fast and made its appearance and force known.  The thunder it brought was booming and you could feel it in your soul. 
None of our children like thunderstorms.  They all run when they hear the lightning crack and scream when the thunder hits. Even the older boys, there is no shame... they find the nearest blankets and cover themselves up as if being wrapped up in grandma's quilt will protect them, and in its own way it does... it brings comfort.

There was another storm yesterday.  It began around four PM. This storm came up with vengeance and unleashed a world of hurt.  This storm started in the heart of one of our loves.  You could tell it had been brewing for some time and it decided to show it's face yesterday evening.  It was loud, it was furious, it was wicked.  The words that were spoken were adorn with knives to tear and make the heart bleed... On the receiving end of those well aimed words came the defense attack.  First the defense was soft spoken and calm and it eventually escalated to loud booming rolls of thunder. Then there was hurt that hurts so bad that penetrates your entire being and you become paralyzed. Paralyzed to the point that you have exhausted all options and ways you know of parenting.  You have pulled every tool out of every book and you simply don't know what to do!
"Hurt people, hurt people" but why does it have to hurt so bad????

As the evening went on and it was well past normal dinner time hours, we somehow were capable of getting all children in the car... the storm was still raging on in our home and it was still raging on outside.  We needed to change scenery, we needed to get out of our home, we all needed some fresh air, even if it was in the van, driving in the down pouring rain, on our way to "chicken nugget" aka Chick-fil-a.  

As we road along, the wrath of battling words had hushed... it was like we were entering the eye of the storm. (hey, at least that is a midway point and this mess can come to an end soon, right?? just tryin' to stay positive)
And in the midst of the silence was a plea,  "God, just crash me with lightning."
There was a giving up, there was a letting go.  It was not a suicidal threat but a letting go of trying to hold on to a defiant, stubborn self...

Do you want to know what is so AMAZING?? Ok, here it is:  Up until that moment in time, it was all fury outside.  Lighting crashing, thunder rolling, and down pouring of rain, until that moment our son was battling inside and out... then came his plea to God.... AND GOD ANSWERED.... BELOW IS THE PICTURE OF HIS ANSWER!!!

How amazing is our GOD!!  When we ask for destruction (God, just crash me with lightning.) He brings the beauty of HIS promise!!!

Genesis 9:8-17

⁸ Then God told Noah and his sons, ^9-11 “I solemnly promise you and your children^[a] and the animals you brought with you—all these birds and cattle and wild animals—that I will never again send another flood to destroy the earth. ¹² And I seal this promise with this sign: ¹³ I have placed my rainbow in the clouds as a sign of my promise until the end of time, to you and to all the earth. ¹⁴ When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will be seen in the clouds, ¹⁵ and I will remember my promise to you and to every being, that never again will the floods come and destroy all life. ^16-17 For I will see the rainbow in the cloud and remember my eternal promise to every living being on the earth.”

 

This rainbow was seen by all who live in our surrounding town. On Facebook last night the newsfeed was swamped with pictures of this magnificent sight. The beauty of its vibrant colors and it shown in an incredible red/pink sky. It was for all to see but it was the answer to our son's plea. The timing was perfect as God's timing always is. Not only was this rainbow flooding our son with hope of healing and no more destruction it was also the first rainbow his eyes had ever seen in his 14 years of life. 

I am done, but God is not, and that is exactaly where He wants us.