The Perth trip was peppered with lessons and reminders, and perhaps the most visual reminder came during the journey back to Adelaide.

For the first time in over 6 years of travelling, I was given a window seat on the flight from Perth to Adelaide (I've always been given aisle seats). As I prepared to board, I saw a rainbow on one side of the plane.

Rainbows have always had a special significance to me, as a symbol of promise and hope, of God's grace and love. And I know it's also no coincidence that I saw one the day after I arrived, and the second one on the day I left.

"I've got a window seat for once, I hope it's on the side where I can see that rainbow!" I thought silently as I boarded.

However, when I walked into the plane, I found that I had a window seat... on the other side of the plane, where I couldn't see the rainbow. I craned my neck to look out the other windows, but couldn't see it from my angle, if only I'd had another seat! Sighing, I settled back, resolving to enjoy the scenery at my window anyway, and watched as we took off and flew into the air.

After flying for a while, I looked out down at the clouds below us, and did a double-take. There was a beautiful ring of colours on the clouds as we flew overhead, which continued to travel on the clouds along with the plane. Awed, but not knowing what it was, and calling it a 'mini-rainbow', I watched for almost 1/2 an hour before it disappeared together with the clouds when we travelled over drier land.

Back in Adelaide, I googled it, and found I had seen a " glory " (what a fitting name :) , which was caused by the diffraction of light on the clouds when the sun was shining from behind us. Therefore, if I'd been sitting on the other side of the plane, I wouldn't have seen it at all... yes, I would have seen the rainbow, but wouldn't have seen that glory.

And so, it connected.

Placed where I was, I came in with my own set of expectations (and was naturally disappointed not to see them fulfilled). Yet, in His time, He showed me why I had been placed there. And he showed me something that was more special, more wonderful, and more unforgettable than what I had expected.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the Lord.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."

- Isaiah 55 : 8-9