By Ali G.

This morning at Deacon Barbara’s service in chapel, we learned about Noah, who built an ark to save the animals, two by two of course, and his family from the flood that God created. I learned that the sign to Noah and his family that the monsoon, which lasted 40 days and 40 nights, had ended was a dove flying. They also knew God would never destroy the world by flooding again, because he sent a rainbow, which represents God’s covenant with man. I had never known this ending to the story before, and I was amazed that I’ve been seeing rainbows my whole life and I never understood their significance.

We ended by singing  “Rise and Shine and Give God Your Glory” an upbeat hymn that had the whole chapel clapping along. The story of Noah going out of the way to save the animals his family, regardless of the judgments of his neighbors, reminded me of my mother’s heroic efforts to keep my family together while I was forcing it apart. She heard God’s will for her, which was the choice to send me away to the Family Foundation School, and no matter how hard it was for her to send her daughter miles away, she heeded the call. She saved my life (though it wasn’t two by two) and today’s chapel service inspired me to turn my eyes skyward and thank God that by her courage, I’m still here.