Somewhere

over the RAINBOW
I don’t know how to include pictures with my posts. If I did, I’d post a couple of pictures of rainbows. Specific Rainbows. My blog friend M.C. Pearson has a rainbow on her profile and seeing that rainbow got me thinking. I could write the whole history of our ministry here in New Mexico based on specific rainbow sightings, but it would probably end up being way too long and way too personal for a Blog posting. I did narrow it down to 11 and one of them has already been written about on Gateway of the Rock, so I only have to write about ten.
In the summer of 1998 we made our first trip from Denver to New Mexico to lead a prayer walk on the Navajo Reservation, sponsored by the Farmington Free Methodist church. As a result, I was invited to coordinate a children’s camp the same weekend Pastor Art was invited to a job interview for ministry at “the mission”. On the drive home through the beautiful mountain passes, feeling very encouraged and hopeful, there was a down pour, unusual because the sun was still shining very brightly, so of course, the rainbow was expected. It was glorious, and to the side of the car we could actually see where it began. I commented to my son I wondered what it was like to drive through a rainbow, and just minutes later I found out. We were surrounded by golden, colorful light.
The presence and glory of the Creator was tangible and I knew another great adventure was about to begin. About one month later, we were packed and ready to head south. It was my eldest son’s 18th birthday, and we were having a combination farewell, happy birthday party at our old church. Although we knew without a doubt that this was the LORD’s leading in our lives, we had mixed emotions. There was no promise of income, our two boys would be changing schools, and we were saying goodbye to some very special friends. The day of the party there was another rainbow, very vivid colors. I called my son outside and told him to look at the birthday gift the LORD had sent him. And the day we left, seconds before our new friend from New Mexico drove up with the U-haul, there was one more rainbow, one more sign that we were following the path the LORD had laid before us. There, that takes care of three. In the months to follow there were many more “sightings” always making me stop in my tracks and give glory to God. The next one I will tell about in detail was the one that came before the storm. Things had not turned out the way we expected. We found ourselves wondering why we had come to New Mexico in the first place, and would we ever have that ministry we had dreamt of?
My sons and I were driving home after a retreat into the mountains and the boys were bickering as only brothers in their late teens can. I was getting into it too, and it was feeling very unpleasant. Then there it was, stretching across the road, a beautiful fully double rainbow against a dark and stormy sky. I stopped the car and got out. I remember feeling so discouraged and frustrated. But the rainbow was so beautiful, a sign that God always keeps His promises. When we got home the bickering between the boys turned in to a huge battle, lots of yelling, lots of crying - the whole family trapped in a whirlwind, a twister…would we land in OZ? I’m not sure how many months or how many rainbows passed between that storm and the trip to a place called Pinedale. Pastor Art had done a revival there and there was talk about maybe moving there and ministering. We were going there to help with their Thanksgiving outreach. I wasn’t sure I wanted to move that far out onto the Rez. My mind was wandering into pointless fantasies as drove through the wilderness of the Southwest. But finally the LORD got my attention, and I sighed. “You know LORD, where ever you want us to be…just say the word.” And there was the rainbow. I took a picture of it. We did not move to Pinedale, although we have prayed with the pastor there and have watched with interest the new building project there. I believe that Rainbow was a “don’t argue with me” message. A “watch and pray” message. And maybe, someday we will be called to that ministry. If you, my dear blog friend, are still reading this, thank you for sticking with it. I guess, the LORD wants me to write this more for myself than for anyone else, but you, dear reader are more than welcome to share the experience. Well, after our fourth year in New Mexico, we had the opportunity to pastor the Open Bible Church in Farmington. The facility was very nice, but the mortgage was high and the congregation was small. We took the name “Gateway of the Rock.” We received the Isaiah 61 prophecy. Art became a licensed pastor with Open Bible Standard Churches, but eventually we had to sell the building. (on the Gateway of the Rock site there is a posting called “Mega Church, Micro Church” or something like that, that goes with this part of the story - May Archives http://christstone.blogspot.com The day in December that we started worshiping in our front room, when I went outside to watch for anyone that might actually come (doubting many if any would show up) there was a rainbow. And then the parade of familiar cars - again God was saying “I am with you.”
The past three years, for our family, have been very, very difficult. One of the hardest things I ever had to do in my whole life was to be part of a deposition concerning my eldest son and his terrible crime. I was scared and very upset at the prospect. On the way to the lawyers office I saw a rainbow. I had by then realized that rainbows are never just rainbows. Ok, I can do this LORD. Six hours later I was on my way home, feeling very drained. As I was entering the Reservation it began to rain, I mean it was pouring. An unusually heavy downpour. There was a guy hitch hiking and even though I don’t pick up hitch hikers, I said, out loud, “I don’t care how drunk he is, no one deserves to be out in this kind of rain.” When I pulled over, he and a friend I had not seen before got into the car. They were both obviously drunk. They reminded me of a movie I have seen many times, that tells different “Indian” legends - I thought, “Oh no, I’ve picked up spider and coyote.” Sure enough, right after I picked them up there appeared, on the side of the road, a rainbow. “Look, Look!” said Spider. “A rainbow! You are being blessed for picking us up.” Then they both began singing “This little light of mine…” Next…if you are interested, you should read “Rainbow Over Hogback” on the Gateway of the Rock site.
One time, my son prayed that the LORD would give me a rainbow on the drive home from visiting him in prison because I had seemed more depressed than usual. He did. There was also a rainbow on the day that that same son got home from prison. How many is that? Is anyone counting. The funniest rainbow was seen the last time I was tempted to go into the casino, back in September. There I sat, in the parking lot, knowing full well I should not go in. “Ok LORD, you show me a rainbow and I won’t go in.” So, in the cloudy sky I saw just a patch of color. A rainbow that was not fully formed. I had to look closely to see if it was even actually there. And the LORD says to my heart. “That’s all you’re getting. Now go home.” I did. Today is a very cold, sunny, windy day. My mind is full of a lot of possibilities. I am struggling with a situation that I have at church. The LORD seemed to be saying a whole lot to me this weekend. I’d like to go outside and see a rainbow right now. But rainbows don’t work that way. God doesn’t work that way.
That’s ok. My first “assignment is done. I need another cup of coffee. Blessings on you, whoever you are…for reading this whole silly thing. But if you did actually read it, don’t miss the installment on Gateway of the Rock…http://christstone.blogspot.com/ Rainbow over Hogback. That is one of the best!