Rainbows

Rainbows are so beautiful.  They are this burst of color in an otherwise dark gray sky.  Rays of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.  

We've had a lot of rainbows here lately.  Our pastor said he'd never known how much it could rain in one place.  He thinks it will never stop until it turns into snow!  

 Have you ever noticed that rainbows don't last for very long?  One morning last week I took my dog for his morning walk in the drizzle, I looked up and saw this perfect rainbow.  It was so much more breathtaking than these pictures could ever portray.  

 The darker the background, the brighter the rainbow.  

 I was reminded that only with the rain can you ever see a rainbow.

Only after the roads have been muddied, can you look up and see beauty.

Rainbows are so beautiful!

Purpose

We are all created for purpose.

Those of us who know Christ know the grand purpose of living in such a way as to make Him known.  

But aren't there also smaller purposes?  

I've been in a small struggle with discovering that "smaller" purpose.

It seems that I have been only lightly searching and consistently failing.  I typically move every 3 years (though it's been 4 in this house!), change jobs at least every 5 years, and become restless even more often.   

I don't have children, but I do have lots of opportunities to be around them and make a difference.  I would like to be around my nieces and nephews more, but I still get to participate in their lives, and if I may be so bold, I feel a little more of a "special effect" since I live in Alaska!  I don't feel that this is a loss that I feel, but it still remains that there is a lack of purpose.

My love of nature and former career in Landscape Design was very satisfying, but still left a gap.  It seemed crazy to expect payment for a service that was somewhat meaningless other than visually pleasing.  It was a difficult balance for me.  I understand the pull to farm so much more - as it provides something much more necessary.  I will always love the beauty of the amazing varieties that God has provided (and continues to) and I will never discount the work others do, but it left something missing for me.

So what does this mean?  I don't really know.  I just know that I have so many opportunities to discover my smaller purpose that contributes to my greater purpose!  I am thankful to be in a place that offers me this freedom.  And promise.