Welcome to Rainbow City Alabama


The Rainbow Behind the Trees

I've never really been a basketball fan,learning. A God that is good and
but since the Dallas Mavericks were inomnipotent. A loving God who will steer
the championship series, my Texas prideHis children safely amid any storm. A
made me watch. With each agonizing gameGod who has given His children the
(specifically the last four), Iability to prove evil powerless. A God
remembered why I'm not a basketball fanwho sent His son, Christ Jesus, to teach
-- the game seems filled with unfairus how.
foul calls. I know I sound like a soreHer faith-filled outlook gave us hope.
loser -- and I am. My Texas pride may beAnd her faith-filled perspective brought
acting up again!us the vision to see good and to find
Still, even though I screamed out mynew opportunities -- even peace of mind,
frustrations over what I consideredand yes, joy. Her faith-inspired point
unfair calls, I also yelled for the boysof view led us to a new home in a new
to step up their game. I encouraged themcity, a career for her and a new life
to do a better job at making theirfor both of us.
shots, rebounding and so forth. Even ifMy memory of those childhood days is not
some foul calls were bogus, I stillof lack, uncertainty or fear. I never
believed they had the ability to win theeven thought of myself as homeless or
games.poor.
Now that the series is over, I'mI suppose I could look at my childhood
reflecting on how the game of basketballexperience with regret. But those days
is sometimes like our lives. Or at leastfor me were a great gift -- a lesson in
like my life.how to beat the odds. How to overcome
Many times I've felt life was unfair --the insurmountable. How to begin anew
like nothing was going my way. And inwhen all is lost. How to find something
those times anger, disappointment andgood in every moment.
depression victimized me: Poor me. "ItI learned that a different outlook can
wasn't my fault." "I didn't have achange the course of our lives. We have
choice." "There was nothing I could doto take responsibility for our thoughts
about the cards I was dealt but toand actions every moment. Mary Baker
accept them and suffer through it."Eddy wisely advised, "Your decisions
Fortunately, my mama taught me a lessonwill master you, whichever direction
long ago that has helped me learn how tothey take." And she encouraged again and
pull myself up from what feels likeagain to, "Stand porter at the door of
life's unfair dealings.thought."
The lesson, or storm of events, beganWe can do this because God gives us the
one September evening when I was tenability and the strength to govern our
years old. It wasn't a hurricane or alives in harmony and peace.
tornado. But it was equally devastatingAfter I married, my greatest battle with
and for me, and just as sudden.what I considered the unfairness of life
I was taking my bath, getting ready forbegan when our daughter was two years
bed, when my mama unexpectedly cameold. We were ready to continue growing
through the door. She promptly whiskedour family. But more children didn't
me out of the tub to make a quick escapearrive. Year after year, I struggled
from her bitter and angry ex-husband --with disappointment and depression, as
my dad. He hadn't been able to acceptwell as anger and frustration. My mantra
the divorce. My mama had been warned bywas, "Why me, Lord?"
a relative that he was on his way to ourI can't say that I overcame my struggle
place with violent intentions.as quickly as I wish I had. But as I
There was no time to pack, so we leftlearned in my childhood, it would
with what little could be grabbed in arequire a new outlook to move my life
flash. I was never to see my home or myforward. As it turns out, a grateful
dad again.heart was imperative. My love and desire
For the months that followed, we werefor children didn't end. And children
homeless with little money.did come into my life -- just in a
Many have asked my mama what enabled herdifferent way than I had expected. I
to survive those times. I suppose somebecame a kindergarten teacher. And not
might call it a "can-do" spirit. Perhapslong after that, my teenage niece came
a positive attitude. Maybe a cheerfulto live with us.
outlook. Or a "never-give-up"I've concluded God does answer our
perspective. My mama could never beprayers -- just not always in the way we
brought down -- for long, anyway.outline. When I'm certain of God's
I can only explain that it had somethingever-presence, I'm able to respond to
to do with her faith -- her faith in awhatever comes my way, calmly and
new concept of God that she wasconfidently assured of God's directing.



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