This article is a rewrite from one I did last week. Sometimes while living with GPA and all that comes with it, I forget how it affects my thought processes. After I have my treatments and steroids and other medications, I then go back and read some of what I have written. Within my Charlie Brown moment of realization, I slap my forehead and yell, “Good Grief!” Besides the articles being disjointed, several thought processes are running within one section. Next is what I meant to say.
When I was a small child, my favorite things to draw were rainbows and trees. Early on, I realized I was not an artist, but for us, amateurs, rainbows, and trees are pretty easy to draw, paint, and color. And no one has to figure out what your picture is about with the guessing game.
Early on, I loved the freedom when drawing rainbows because you could use so many different colors. Mine usually has red as the primary color because red is my favorite, but if you add another color to red, you can create a pink or a purple depending on which way you venture on the color scale. Your rainbow can be substantial, using all the colors on the color wheel or small with only a couple of the primary colors. I enjoyed smearing them together or inventing new colors.
Color is a wondrous and exciting element to life, which is a blessing from God. Rainbows are God’s way to remind us of His promise to Noah and His promises to us. They are mysterious, exciting, and known throughout history as signs. Rainbows hold within them hope, signs, promises, and love from our Heavenly Father that we can see in our physical world.
When someone states that they do not see color to prove they are not racist, it is very discouraging to me. God made us different colors concerning our skin, hair, and eyes, and He gave us an amazingly beautiful colorful world to live. So why do we take something so beautiful and try to destroy or turn it all into a vanilla palette? Boring mush! I see color. I see trees of green and red roses too. (Love me some Louis Armstrong.) I see black, white, chocolate, yellow, red ( especially if you have been out on a sunny day), green ( the color of my eyes) blue for birthmarks, bruises, and veins running beneath our skin. Yep, I see color, and I feel blessed and joyful that God allows me to see color! Revelation 4:3, tells us, “And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.” Can you imagine the power within that rainbow!
I want to share with you what color has brought to my life. I have a sister from Nigeria, and I love the darkness of her skin, eyes, and hair. I still have not figured out why she has no gray in her hair as I do. But that is for another day. God brought her to America and me to the same area from North Carolina for us to meet. She is David to my Jonathan, and I believe God knitted our souls together while we were still in heaven with Him. My favorite verse concerning their friendship and ours is, “As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” 1 Samuel 18:1
If you do not know about David and Jonathan’s friendship, read 1 Samuel in the old testament of the bible. And no, I am not going to point out a section or two for you to read and understand. Read all of 1 Samuel, because maybe it will pique your interest at reading the bible every day!
She has taught me so much about worshipping God, prayer, friendship, and the importance of blessing our family, friends, and others we may meet. My walk with God is more significant because of her. I also have learned about Nigerian customs and culture. Children after high school may attend college, but they are not thrown out into the world to fend for themselves. Parents want them to live with them until they marry. Think of the benefits for the family and the children by living this way. They can save their money while working and being home and assist their parents, while the young adults stay anchored in God and do what is right. Did you know that they don’t have mortgages? When you have enough money, you buy the land and then as you have more money, you begin to build your home. Maybe one or two rooms at first, but over the years, a home takes form—an extremely stable way to start life.
If I had whitewashed my world and heart all these years, I would have missed out on a very vibrant rainbow in my life with lessons and laughter deeply embedded within my heart. And a sister I have always wanted. As a matter of fact, I am miffed at the COVID virus because we plan to take a trip in the fall, just us two girls, and if things keep up with the virus, we will have to cancel. Please wear a mask and wash your hands!
God gave us color full of His holy power and brought diversity into the world and meant it for our good. And if you don’t believe me, check out the research on color when used as a stimulate, mood enhancer, and a soul soother. They even sell adult coloring books as tension relievers and brain boosters! As usual, man can take something so splendid and muck it up.
Keep seeing color in America, and America will come back with skies full of rainbows! And if these are “end of times” events, get your life committed to Jesus Christ and then look to the sky for He is coming back! Stay strong, stay safe, persevere, and pray! And love everyone as you love yourself!
God Bless You!
The Tent Maker Blog 