This year though was different in an important way, it's something that each of you reading this probably know. It was our first holiday without someone we love very very much. Our beautiful Katie passed into Heaven last year. Losing her still hurts, and probably will for some time. Her best friends who have shared the holiday with us for the past 20 years came this year too, even though they came without Katie. It was very bittersweet to see them, without her. My sister, through her tears said... "I keep feeling like maybe she will just walk through the door soon. Maybe she's just late." It was hard, and we were all sad.
Friday morning came, and the meal was being prepared. The turkeys were roasted, and the potatoes were mashed- everyone was busy getting ready to eat. We were all enjoying before dinner drinks and each other, despite not have her with us. Our house overlooked the beach and we had a fantastic view of the ocean and rolling waves. All day there had been some strange weather, some sun, some clouds, some showers in the distance. It was breezy and it seemed like the weather was just not sure what it wanted to do. We saw sideways rain from one side of the house and sun on the opposite side. It was such a strange phenomenon that we all rushed out to the deck to observe. And to our surprise we had a huge, double rainbow directly over our house. We could see it end to end. A complete arch. Every color. It took your breath away. It was so perfect. It looked like this.
Except in this form, but only maybe 100 yards away from us.
And it felt like in that very moment, Katie was with us. The rainbow was so close it felt like we could touch it. It felt like heaven. It was breathtaking, and we all cried.
I was thinking about rainbows and realized that in Greek mythology the rainbow symbolizes a message from Heaven. In the Bible, God used a rainbow to tell a probably desperate, frustrated and soggy Noah that God had not forgotten him.
Maybe you are one of my family members reading this and feeling like our Katie was taken from us long before it was her time. Our thanksgiving rainbow reminded me that God has not forgotten us, or our hurt, and that He is merciful. He sent us a beautiful message of Katie at just the moment we needed it.
Maybe you are reading that and are not related to me but you have lost someone to death or even distance for these holidays, and I just want you to know what God told me on Friday: He remembers you, and He loves you deeply in whatever circumstance you may find your life.
