God's Rainbow Whisper September 04 2014, 3 Comments

I think I could maybe write a short book about Remy and Sander in regards to Bryer's life and death.  It's been an incredibly eye-opening, heart-reeling and heart-healing time of motherhood. I didn't give them nearly the credit they deserved for what they take into their hearts and then spit back out of their mouths.  Or the things they would ponder in their spirit until it came bursting forth unexpectedly. For a grieving mom, it can be hard enough to hold it together at any given moment, let alone when these little eternally-inspired, spirit-filled missles come shooting from the back of the mini-van or snipe me in the grocery store or drop in my lap at a restaurant or disarm during goodnight prayers.  Boom.  A beautiful mess of questions, perceptions and declarations from the past, present and/or eternal future.  It all boils down to that phrase we've all heard..."child-like faith", and wow, it's an amazing thing to behold.

Now you might expect for me to launch in to a myriad of these experiences. They certainly are such sweet treasures I've enjoyed sharing here and there with friends and family. Perhaps I will at some point. But for now, I wrote the above to lend a little insight into the heart-happenings of my 5 and 3 year old these past 18 months.  They were certainly stirred up and still are.  They've been ripe for teaching and truth speaking.

Moving on. Remy loves rainbows.  She's been intrigued and a bit obsessed ever since before she turned 4. Her 4th birthday party was unicorns and rainbows.  Almost all pictures she draws includes a rainbow.  She has drawn countless pictures of her and Bryer under rainbows.  If given a choice of something rainbow colored, she picks it.  If coloring anything that can be a pattern...it's rainbow.  A few months ago while shopping she brought to me a "B" charm bracelet..the "B" was striped in rainbow. Of course we bought it.  She corrects me if I get the colors of the rainbow out of order while coloring.  If you ask her what her favorite color is she will say ROY G BIV.  You get the picture.  

On the last day Remy and Sander saw and held Bryer, there was a rainbow stretching from one side of 71 to the other as they drove home from Nationwide Children's Hospital. Did any of you see it too?

All this brings me to last Thursday.  August 28.  I was serving Remy and Sander lunch at our kitchen island and seized the opportunity to go over their sticker chart.  One thing on the list is reading their bible. I hadn't been there the night before at bedtime, so I asked if they had read it with Daddy. Remy assures me they had and proceeds to tell me about what story.  A king worshipping idols.  A short conversation ensued about what idols are etc.  All this talk reminded me that I had been wanting to ask Remy a question. It was a question sparked from a recent meeting at church I had attended about spiritual parenting. We watched a short video of kids answering the question, "How does God speak to you?" The answers were insightful and quite entertaining.    

With that on my mind, I turn around and ask, "Remy, does God speak to you?"

She looks at me and doesn't answer.

I rephrase, "How do you think God speaks to you?"

My back is to the window and she is facing me.  As soon as I got the question out of my mouth, she immediately responds while pointing, "I don't know, but there is a rainbow that went across Bryer's face!"

"What?"

She shakes her pointer again at the picture.  I turn around and look at the picture of Bryer that we have sitting on the window ceil. There is a small rainbow going directly across his face. My breath was taken for a second. I look again as I release a smile-sigh.

"Remy! THAT is God speaking to us...right now!"  We all continue to stare at Bryer's face with a rainbow on it.  It's quiet for a second.  

"What's he saying?!?" she innocently asks.

"Well um, I think He's saying 'I love you.  I am here.  My promises are true.  Bryer is with me.  I haven't forgotten you'.  Something along those lines, honey."

I was so touched, of course, I became very emotional.  She got up off her stool and came to me,  "I miss Bryer."

"Me too, baby."

With her arms wrapped around my waist looking up with her new jack o' lantern smile and post tonsilectomy kermit voice, she says, "Well, it's a good thing you took lots of pictures."

I picked her gangly, long-legged body up and took her to the window ceil.  I said, "Remy, I want you to always remember this.  It's just for you.  God knows how much you love rainbows and how much you love Bryer. This is so special".

She laid her head on my shoulder and we continued to look at Bryer's face.

Meanwhile, Sander is sitting on the other stool taking this all in.  

This all gets even better.  

Later that evening, I got dinner on the table.  I was over at the sink getting something when I hear Sander excitedly burst, "Mommy!  God didn't forget about me!"

It was almost too much in one day!  I was comforted.  I was reassured of His presence and His promises.  I was taken back by His impeccable timing.  He gave me such a tender moment with Remy ...a teachable and unforgettable moment. And THEN, lest he forget Sander, who was probably sitting there feeling left out....He drops a rainbow right on his dinner plate. 

Oh He is sweet and He is with us.  My heart is full. I hope yours is a little fuller too:)