I am in the process of  “writing”  a book.  I put writing in quotation marks because most of the book is already written.  You see,  I am taking most of what we have posted on various social media sites and compiling it to tell our story.  Rachel and I will add occasional background information that didn’t make it into posts to help the reader get the full picture.  I came across this entry yesterday.

On  August 10th, 2011 Trey went in for a last ditch/home run surgery to remove the cancer (quite a bit) that the chemo had resisted.  If the surgery was not successful we would effectively be out of options to save the life of Trey.  We were told that it was going to last 30 – 40+ hours and was a long shot (in so many words).  As many if not most of you know the surgery was not only not successful but almost took his life.  I realized yesterday as  I edited the page, that I had posted this the day before his surgery.

Jay Mitlo

“We are God’s rainbow.” That poetic gem came out of my mouth an hour ago as Joe, Bella, Trey and I walked through the rain and around the neighborhood. I came home from Sam’s and in the pouring rain my children came to the car to greet me. They were elated to be out in the rain. So, we grabbed rain boots and umbrella (Bella), sandals (Joe), and umbrella (Trey) and began to play. Trey initiated a walk up the street as the rain stopped. As I looked for a rainbow I said to the kids, “You know Trey’s cancer is a lot like gloomy rain in our life (Joe agreed, Bella took her boots off and handed them to me, Trey poked himself in the eye with the umbrella). Yet, God’s light shines through us anyhow. We are God’s rainbow.” Joe got it. Bella asked where the rainbow was that I was talking about. Trey sat in a puddle. I went further and said, “…with God, we will always be ok and have rainbows. If we win the race (Trey’s fight with cancer) we will be ok. If we lose the race (voice cracks), we’ll be ok.” Joe added, “I’ll cry if we lose.” I agreed but added, “You know who won’t? Trey, he’ll be dancing with Jesus.” Randy Pausch (the famous Carnegie Mellon Professor who had pancreatic cancer) called it “building nets” for his kids. I predict and pray for a sunny day tomorrow and the coming months. All of you have already made this “rainy” season a beautiful rainbow for the Mitlo’s. Thank you.

August 9, 2011 at 11:48am

as I read this the other day I, obviously got really choked up.  Ironically, as I read the post from the next day where I tell everyone about how Trey almost died and that the surgery clearly was not successful I was not as emotional as I thought I would be.  That alone is proof that having people comfort you through your pain helps heal hurts.  Then, something else moved me to tears time and again.

I reread all of the posts in the days after the surgery.  Actually, seeing  many of you post prayers for the surgeons at the exact time that they were battling to save Trey’s life (unbeknownst to us at the time) left me in awe.  Then, the outpouring of love and support in the days we spent in ICU when Trey’s life and quality of life where very much in limbo was stunning, again.  However, something has hit me hard, even since those moments.

Yes, we are God’s rainbow.  He has shown a beauty, His beauty, through us through many a dark day (and dark period in general).  However, while God is light and it is His light that shines through the rain to show us off as His rainbow, YOU are the light that He has used (and uses) to shine so brightly through the heaviest of rain.  Did you hear that and was it  clear?  YOU are the light that God has used to shine so brightly through us.  It is you who have cried, written, prayed, mourned, and joined us in each and every emotion (Romans 12:15).

“But” you think, “I didn’t write every time.  I didn’t even read everything.  He’s not talking about me.”  Yes I am.  You see, it’s the collective effort of all of you that have blessed us so.  One tear, one note, one prayer, is all a part of the light that has shown through the rain and created our rainbow.  Even if you are just reading all of this for the first time it’s a blessing to me today as I know that you are going to be changed by what you’ve read.  That’s why I love it so much when these posts are shared throughout social media.  I know that others will be reassured that the doubt they face is a lie and that they are being used to love people on behalf of God.

You see, if Trey’s illness is being used as the rain, you are being used as the light, and we are blessed to be the rainbow, where and who is God?  He is the author and creator of all of it.  We too often focus only on the rain.  Yet, without the rain (and it has poured) we would not know the incredible warmth and comforting glow of His light through all of you.  We would not know to see through the rain and be the rainbow He has called us to be.  He is far more in control than we could ever imagine.

So go, be God’s rainbow if that is the situation of life you are in right now.  We are all that in some way.  Yet, realize that you were created (and are more than able) to be the light in someone else’s rain to allow them to be a rainbow.  You can do so very little and yet have it mean so very much to someone in “the rain.”

We love and thank you all.