Sat in the swing this morning eating a cinnamon bagel I found in the refridge, probably so old it might kill me, tasted delicious, though. I found myself pondering about the overcast sky. I stared at the sky for quite a while and began to see its quiet beauty. In several places I could see a faint blue from the sky canvas behind and light gray paths on the bottoms of faint rain clouds. If I looked intently enough I could see the shapes of the different clouds where they melded together.

The more I observed the more handsome the sky became. Made me think of a marble slab on top of a beautiful oak buffet resting in the dining room of an old Southern mansion. I can picture the dining room in my mind. The buffet is filled with sparkling crystal compotes and sterling silver serving pieces. I bet there is muted green and gold striped peacock wallpaper on the walls and floor to ceiling windows looking out to a landscape of lush green lawn and large old oak trees. I’d love to eat breakfast there. Such beautiful china in the china cabinets!

Lots of birds today enjoying the cool morning. The sun burnt off the overcasting clouds and the birds flocked to the feeders. A purple finch sat on the power line and serenaded me for a long time. Never knew they had such a wondrous sweet song. Sounded like a flute solo in a big orchestra. Following the finch’s solo the yard symphony was orchestrated by wind chimes and raindrops. The chickadees and titmice came back today to join the cardinals. The titmice are so beautifully dressed in their muted colored feathers. And I love the little black newsboy caps on the chickadees’ heads. The doves and finches enjoyed the bird baths.

The Eastern bluebirds across the street came over for a drink from the bird bath, too. They hardly ever visit. I can see the seed pods full of red seeds on the magnolias trees across the street. The seed pods mean the cedar waxwing flocks will be here soon to harvest the seeds. They fly around in beautiful patterns, dancing around the trees like a well choreographed ballet, cleaning the pods of seeds. I love to watch them fly in flocks from tree to tree.

Late afternoon the clouds dropped a wonderful shower to cool the earth and water the yards. All the birds left except the cardinals. I counted 13 male cardinals on the feeders enjoying the rain showers. Most of them were with their female companions. Wanted to take a photograph but didn’t want to disturb them. It was like the were having a progressive dinner party, moving from feeder to feeder.

I love to sit on the porch in the rain. So peaceful. Takes all the stress of the day and took my worries away of the “black screen of death” on my cell phone. My phone screen went dark today and after hours of worrying and trying several times to correct this I gave up. Stew hooked the phone up to his Mac computer and tried what Apple Support suggested but nothing worked. He tried for several times, at least an hour or more and never got it to work, either. So funny how even though something doesn’t work we keep trying before we accept that it’s not going to work. We just can’t left go and give up. Guess that’s human nature. I’ll admit it, I gave up and bought a new phone!

We all want our lives to have blue skies and puffy white clouds every day. But we know storms will eventually form on the horizon. I love a good storm when Mother Nature has a temper tantrum. The world is so beautiful after the rain showers, cool and clean. But clouds do float into our lives and bring troubles and challenges and pain and disappointment. Sometimes its hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. During these times our faith in God can bring sunshine back into our landscape.

I remember my mama always saying, “This, too, shall pass.” I actually thought she had made that phrase up till I looked it up today and found it attributed to Edward Fitzgerald’s “Solomon’s Seal” where King Solomon is given credit for the words. I’ve said this phrase so, so many times in my life while waiting for the storms to clear. It comforts me. And it gives me hope and faith to know I’m not alone, that I can count on my prayers and faith to help me see, even in the darkest of times, the sunlight through the storms. No matter how dark the day is the clouds will eventually part and the sun will shine. You might have to wait a while for that first ray but it will eventually break through the clouds.

Don’t ever give up on waiting for the storm to pass. Don’t ever give up on the sun rising. Take each day as it comes. Enjoy all the wonderful moments and hold on tight to those you love when a storm comes over the horizon. God is always with us, supporting us, even when we can’t feel his presence.

THIS TOO, SHALL PASS — When things are bad, remember: It won’t always be this way. Take one day at a time. When things are good, remember: It won’t always be this way. Enjoy every great moment.