Chasing Rainbows

This last Saturday, I woke up very early in the morning, still reeling from jet lag after our trip to the Holy Land. I decided to take a walk, as I usually do every morning. There was a light drizzle, as we had an unexpected storm front here in Southern California.

“Wait a second,” you might ask, if you don’t live on the West Coast. “Doesn’t the song say, ‘It never rains in Southern California’?”

Well, sometimes it does, and today along with that rain came an unexpected treat—a rainbow.

Now, I have seen some beautiful rainbows in my time, including a number of them in Hawaii (where it seems like they have a rainbow practically every night!). They take rainbows for granted over there in the islands.

But here in California, they are more unusual. And on a scale of 1-10, this was a “7.” So, I pulled out my iPhone and snapped a shot. Unfortunately, the camera did not catch what my eye could see.

Then, right before my eyes, the rainbow that was a 7 turned into an 8. I thought, “I’ve got to run home and get a proper camera and record this! No one will believe it.”

At this point, it was about 5:50 a.m. So I quickly drove home and grabbed my digital camera and video camera. Hey, go big or stay home, right?

I rushed back to find the best vantage point to click the shot of the rainbow, which was now a full, mega-wattage 10! I could see it through the window of my car and I considered stopping right there and snapping the shot, but I thought, “I know a better spot to shoot this!” It was only two minutes more, surely the rainbow would wait.

You already know what happened, right? I came to my spot, pulled out my camera, and… you guessed it, no rainbow. I mean, not one little bit of rainbow left at all.

Sigh.

What do they say about chasing rainbows? I had literally been doing all that, and in the process, I missed the grand finale. I should have just been satisfied with my low-res iPhone photo and enjoyed the moment. But no, I had to be “Ansel Adams” and try to capture the shot of the century.

Life can be like that

Life can be that way, can’t it? We chase after something but never quite get it. We get all built up for some ‘big event,” only to be let down.

I have found that the little moments are often far more enjoyable then the “big ones.”

Take Christmas, for instance (Is it here yet?). There is so much hype over the ‘big moment” of Christmas morning, and opening your presents. Once it’s all done, you look at the small mountain of torn-up wrapping paper and think about the bills you will have to pay, and it’s a bit of a let down.

No, Christmas morning is not all it is cracked up to be. I have found that the great moments of Christmas are the ‘in-between” ones. Picking up your tree—or if you are able, chopping it down—and decorating it. Having a leisurely cup of coffee with a friend while everyone else “shops till they drop.” Lingering over a meal with your family. And most importantly, remembering Jesus as you worship Him for coming to this earth to begin with.

Rainbows! They are wonderful when you have them.

I would suggest the next time you see one, don’t run home for a camera. Just stop and watch and wonder. Take it all in. And remember its origin.

God gave the symbol of the rainbow to Noah and all of us after the great flood. He gave it to us to say He keeps His promises.

So the next time you see a rainbow, remember that.