Headline: Grandma Gets Decked at Chuck E. Cheese

There's a new song, Praise You in this Storm. It resounds with me. It starts:

"I was sure by now, God You would have reached down and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day. But once again, I say amen and it's still raining as the thunder rolls ..."

Last Friday I drove home from work in the most unbelievable weather, tornado sightings all over the northwest suburbs. And then minutes before I was home the sun broke through, hugely, strangely bright. I actually saw the reflection of the gigantic rainbow in the window of the truck in front of me. When I turned and saw the real thing, I pointed out my window to other drivers. It was crazy.

From that point I was reminded that rainbows do, indeed appear. It has been a tough week, trying to support our Kalamazoo friends in their grief, knowing that in the next few weeks the Michel marriage will be dissolving, that my sister Gail is grieving too, losing their dog the day after her birthday. And Eve, and Shelly, and Debbie, and Mary and all my small group...world news, local news, shootings. God, I thought by now you would have wiped our tears away.

And physical stuff for me. I wrecked my leg last Sunday playing soccer with Denver. Two days of incredible pain, barely being able to go up and down stairs. Gradual healing but not full strength, yet. And then tonight, too absurd, at Chuck E. Cheese I step in front of Denver to stop him from running and we both go down to the floor. Poor Denver cracked his ear on a ride and I scramble to my feet. What 57 year old Grandma gets decked at Chuck E. Cheese? And it made me laugh...a rainbow, I guess. Our tears are wiped away, maybe for just a short while.

"You never left my side and though my heart is torn I will praise You in this storm "