For any of you that live in Northwest Indiana you know we have had our fair share of rain lately. The Kankakee River is over its banks by 4 feet, the Calumet River at flood stage, some farm crops are under water, basements are flooding, water is coming up around some homes and I’m sure many other rain related problems are out there.
One of those problems is close by and affects a neighbor. I live on a hill and behind me there is only one home and it is to the North. They also own the woods behind us and the lower ground which is at least 200 feet down the rolling hill from me. The lower ground often floods when we have excessive rain and this time was no exception. Of course this is not something that pleases my neighbor but, as I told them, it’s like I am living near a small lake, which I have no desire to do long term but it brings me pleasure during its brief visit of a week or two. I enjoy watching the sunlight on the water and the sunset from my vantage point. To the best of my knowledge it causes no real harm because it is low land and doesn’t affect any homes. My neighbor, who owns the land, says it has recently been designated, by the town, as a flood plain. I’m not exactly sure how they can do that since he owns it, but that is another story and I will not get into it.
My story is about White Heron. Yes, White Heron, but I want to regress for just a moment by saying that every rain storm produces a rainbow somewhere. This June many rainbows have been spotted. Some of the rainbows were double and triple while others were complete visible circles. There is promise from God in a rainbow and just the thought of them makes me smile. When the lake is on the lowland below rather than a rainbow I often spot Canadian Geese or ducks testing the newfound waters. They become my rainbow of promise. However, this time was different. Late one afternoon my husband, Lonny, told me he thought he saw white birds flying on the lake below but, as we studied the area, none were visible.
Morning dawned early, as only it can in the summer, and I was up making coffee when I looked out the kitchen window and down the hill to see two absolutely beautiful white birds standing in the water. It was no time before I spotted two more. Oh my, what unspeakable joy. I was so excited and called to Lonny to hurry into the kitchen as I told him he had been right and there were white birds on the lake. I could hardly keep my eyes off of them. I was relatively sure they were White Heron but went on the web and into one of my favorite bird books to get confirmation. Indeed, they were White Heron. I have no idea how many times I looked out the window that day. I thanked God for sending them and woke the next day to see they were still there. Mid-afternoon I noticed four more and then even more flew in and suddenly there were eighteen beautiful Heron dining on frogs and fish that had spilled over from Cedar Creek and flooded the land below.
Since mentioning this to others, I know Heron have been around here but usually only one or two and never on the flooded ground below. Maybe the Lord just wanted to remind me that He really has it all under control. I had been complaining that it seemed to rain every day so He sent me eighteen, elegant creatures of His creation to let me know not to worry, rainbows were everywhere.
I know the heavy rains have been causing havoc for many people and they are far from happy right now, but as is so true of every storm in life, there will be rainbows and, in this case, breathtakingly beautiful White Heron to remind us that all is never lost and every storm holds the promise of a rainbow.
Inspirational Quote
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13
Quote for this Blog
If you want a rainbow you have to put up with the rain. Dolly Parton
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