Rainbows and Stars

Spending a couple of days in Normandy and Brittany last month gave us an opportunity to enjoy "rainbow weather."  That perfect constant back and forth of sun and rain and clouds happened a lot in England, and I've missed it.  You can bet I yelled at K.J. to stop the car when we saw this out of our windows.

The rest of our drive included more alternating rain and clouds, but shortly after we arrived at our Airbnb someone spotted another rainbow across the fields.

March is a good time for rainbows, I suppose. 🍀

Rainbow-spotting always feels magical, but the best moment of looking up came that night when James walked out to the car.  He stepped out the door into the cold, and I heard him gasp.  I always think something's gone wrong or someone's been hurt when I hear sounds like that, but the next thing I heard was James saying with complete amazement:  "Look at the stars!!"  I never want to forget the wonder I heard in his voice.

I didn't have my big tripod with me, but I tried to capture some of the wonder with K.J.'s small, flexible one.  My camera lens was a little too heavy for it, but I got a couple of shots to help us remember.  I didn't realize how long it had been since we'd been somewhere so dark.

Rainbow Sightings

We've had a lot of rainbow sightings lately.  If the conditions needed are rain and sunshine in quick succession and then repeat I suppose we've had peak weather conditions!  On a morning drive last week into the Yorkshire Dales for a Bible study I was glad my friend Lisa didn't mind stopping over and over again.

When we first glimpsed this rainbow we didn't know that it would stick around for so long and just get brighter and bolder.

This was our first pull off the road and stop.  Look how beautiful!  I was struck by how happy seeing a rainbow could make me.  Rainbows are occasional and fleeting, and seeing them feels like a special gift.

We stopped again when we saw the rainbow's end right behind this beautiful school on a hill. Zooming in with my iPhone didn't give the best photo quality, but it was better than nothing!  And also, wouldn't you like to go to school here?

I couldn't believe how long this rainbow stuck around.

I loved how you could see the colors of the rainbow on the trees.  And thank you iPhone for the panorama feature!

Most people are familiar with the promise God made Noah after He sent the flood that destroyed the earth because of all the evil in men's hearts:  "I have placed my bow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.  Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember My covenant between Me and you and all the living creatures:  water will never again become a flood to destroy every creature." 

I love this from The Jesus Storybook Bible about the significance of the bow shape and God's plan to rescue us from our sin and the evil in our hearts.

It wasn't long before everything went wrong again

but God wasn't surprised, he knew this would happen.

That's why, before the beginning of time, he had another plan--

a better plan.  A plan not to destroy the world, but to 

rescue it-- a plan to one day send his own Son, the Rescuer.

God's strong anger against hate and sadness and death

would come down once more--but not on his people, or

his world.  No, God's war bow was not pointing down at

his people.

It was pointing up, into the heart of Heaven.

So when you stop and think about it, rainbow sightings are the perfect way to head into this season of advent, bringing their reminder that God has sent His rescuer, His son Jesus, to restore us and to give hope to everyone who trusts Him.