My Rainbow

Genesis 9:16…..Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.

A few months ago when I felt like my world was falling apart....God sent me a message……...

My 26 year old daughter, Kim, was diagnosed in August last year with a severe fungal pneumonia and a rare immune disease that is usually fatal in childhood. After extensive testing and medication at NIH (National Institute of Health), she came home where her husband and I could care for her. God made it plain to me to make the decision to quit my job of 22 years to be her caregiver. She was very weak and suffering extreme side effects from the drugs she was taking to treat her. I gave my first (and hopefully last) injection of steroids one day when she became unresponsive.

Just after Kim became sick, my father in law, Francis, was scheduled for heart surgery with an expected five day recovery in the hospital. Following multiple complications during the surgery, he was in the hospital two months (the first three weeks he was unconscious and on life support), at a rehab for a couple of weeks, and at home two weeks before he peacefully left for heaven with his wife and children by his bedside.

One day in the midst of all these events, I got out of bed feeling very discouraged and walked into the bathroom to get ready for another long day. As I closed the door I saw a perfect rainbow streaming through the window. I wept as I put my hand in the rainbow. I quickly grabbed my camera and captured this moment to remind me that "God Sees Me." I look at the picture whenever I am feeling overwhelmed by my circumstances and to remember I am not in this alone.

Since then, our family celebrated the life of Francis Lueking, Kim has recovered from the pneumonia and is considered as having a mild form of her immune deficiency, and I am fully dedicated to God’s plan...... and like Noah, I will “…walk faithfully with God. “ (Genesis 6:9)