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Writer's pictureJ W Asbridge

Fairy Land Arising



I rolled over and peered at the alarm clock burning a sickly green hole in the dark – 3:16 AM. I yawned and shut my eyes. Sleep. I needed sleep. I rolled over agin, determined. My eyes popped open.


The worry monsters roaring in my head were too loud. Darkness suffocated me and the accusing dim light of the alarm clock on the nightstand only made it worse.


The noisiest monster in my head involved my eldest son. He had graduated from college and come home to live like so many young men his age. I would have let him stay until he was firmly on his feet, but my husband was determined to make him a man. His ultimatum: “Get a job and move out by Labor Day.”


To me, it seemed cruel. Our son would be deeply hurt if we kicked him out. What if he couldn’t find a job? Where would he live?


Throughout the endless pitch-black morning, I worried about my whole family, their challenges, and struggles.


Finally, at 4:54, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I bolted out of bed, thrust open the bathroom window and took a gulp of fresh air. I was rewarded with the sight of a faint gold light shining through the fir trees.





Suddenly I was overcome by a desire to go for a walk. Dressing hurriedly, I grabbed my camera, and drove the short distance to Washington State University Vancouver.


Usually, I parked at the lower end of the campus and tramped the trails through the forest, but today, I felt nudged to the top. I parked and hiked up the hill near the red brick buildings that formed the main area of the campus. The sky and my spirits lightened with each step. At the top of the hill, I felt as if I’d been transported to a fairyland.


To the southeast, spiky Mt. Hood glowed a soft lavender.




Silver Star Mountain, Larch Mountain, and the humps of the Cascade foothills lightened by the second.



To the northeast, Mount St. Helens looked like a scoop of raspberry ice cream against a Creamsicle sky.




When the fire of sun crested Mt. Adams, I felt my soul light with joy. I had never seen God’s creation in such color.





I felt renewed as I started down the hill and I thanked God for the gift of his colorful creation after the long dark night. I felt like He’d painted it just for me. But there was more.


The wild grasses along the trail were lit up with bands of color like a rainbow.




I shook my head to clear it. Was my imagination playing tricks on me? If not, where did these bands of color originate? I never learned the answers to the scientific play of light, shadow, and color on the rainbow grass that day.


But what I did learn that morning was that God loves me and He wanted me to know it.


I sensed He wanted to paint my expectations for the future in shades of color instead of black. Like a promising fairyland. Or maybe a bit like my ultimate future in heaven.


My eldest son was able to get a meaningful job to support himself and I was grateful when two beautiful sisters and friends, Ruth and Sharon, provided him an inexpensive place to rent where he lived until he was able to establish himself financially.


Through it all, I’ve held onto the lesson that God taught me on that colorful morning. He loves me. And He wants me to color my thoughts with His truths no matter what my circumstances happen to be.




The Master Creator and Artist of the Universe doesn’t want you to worry in the dark either. He loves you and His rainbow world is waiting for your discovery. Whether it be in the face of a loved one, an engaging hobby, or a song to sing in the darkness, He wants you to forget your worry, focus on His love for you, and bless you with peace.


“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise…And the God of peace will be with you…” Philippians 4:8,9



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