By Ralphine Major

“And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.” Genesis 9:12-16 (KJV).

Our dear friends, Carol and Perry McGinnis, provided this beautiful picture recently; and I wanted to share the breathtaking scene with Focus readers. “I was fortunate to get this picture after a rain last week, and thought it captured the essence of God (rainbow), country (the flag), and home (House Mountain in the background),” Perry said. It does, indeed!

In our hurried lives filled with full calendars and technology at a touch, how important for all mankind to be reminded of God’s promise in the Bible symbolized by every rainbow. It may be hanging proudly on a flagpole, mounted on a tractor or displayed in a church or school classroom. Wherever it is, the American flag is always a reminder of our freedom and those who have fought for our country and defended her. East Tennesseans are blessed with abundant beauty in our natural resources. The House Mountain range is simply magnificent and can be seen from many vantage points in our region. It is a sight we can too often take for granted. God, country, and home- they truly are  important things in life.