Rainbows have always been a sign of Promise to me. The song “I Wish You a Rainbow” had its own wish and a Promise. I have been meaning to share this story for a while but just couldn’t seem to find the words. Last night while I was thinking of the story behind the song I saw a beautiful rainbow. It seems the rainbow is a sign it is time.

It was in May of 2000. I had just made a new friend Holly who came into my life at a time I had needed a friend. I met Holly previously at church. It turned out Holly lived close to me and had just moved to our neighborhood. That particular day, I was going for a walk in the morning and decided to knock on her door. I needed a walking partner and Holly’s house was on my route. I thought, “She’s probably not home anyway”. To my surprise Holly answered the door and said “Just a minute while I get my runners on” and off we went. In our conversation Holly told me that her sister Wanda had previously died unexpectedly of a heart attack. Just that morning she had prayed for a friend and then shortly after I had knocked on the door. A complete “GodIncidence.” Some refer to this as a coinincidence. I call these GodIncidneces as they seem too meaningful to be by Chance.

In the following weeks we walked regularly. We often ended our walk with coffee with my mother and father who in April of 2000 had moved next door to me. In our conversation one morning, as we got to know each other, Holly mentioned that when she lived in British Columbia she had been a foster parent looking after young babies. In fact, Holly and her husband were currently in the process of adopting one of the babies they had fostered. Holly mentioned in passing, “I’m not sure whether or not I should continue fostering children.” My mother quickly piped up, “I think you should”. To our surprise, the next morning Holly received a call asking her to foster a baby.

Another GodIncidence? Within Days Devone arrived and stole our hearts. He was born to a young teen mother who wasn’t sure whether she would keep the baby. Devone was an easy baby to love as he was a very content baby who loved to be held and seldom cried. We quickly became attached to him. At the time Holly’s oldest child developed some health issues so on days Holly had appointments my mother or I would watch Devone for Holly.Holly was also asked to be a mentor the young mother in hopes the baby would eventually return to her care. In this area Holly had concerns. She didn’t feel the young mother was capable of being a competent and loving mother, but the teen mother was being pressured by the baby’s grandmother to take the baby back. Then one morning the dreaded call came. Holly was to prepare Devone and his few belongings to give him back to his mother. Holly and I were in tears. This was not only saying Good-bye but sending this little baby into an unknown future. As we sat there with tears running down our faces I said “I know. I’ll write a song for him”. Within the next minutes “ I Wish You a Rainbow” was born. It was a prayer for God to watch over Devone where ever life would take him. Devone did leave Holly’s home that week.

Throughout the year’s every time I sang or heard the song played I thought of that little boy, it was a prayer that went up. I wondered what life would bring him. Then 20 years later on the day the Lock down for Covid happened I was reading my Messenger in bed and received this message :