The morning was so pretty today, clear blue sky full of jet plane contrails making tic tac toe grids in the sky canopy. Later in the morning the horizon was covered in beautiful rounded clouds, their middles soft gray, their edges outlined in purples and blues. These clouds were floating fast across the sky canopy, dragging thick vanilla clouds behind them making the sky overcast in a thick beige color. The wind chime on the porch across the street was playing tag with my wind chimes, echoing soft pings back and forth across the street, making a pleasant sounding yard symphony.

My yard was full of goldfinches today. Each day a few more come to visit the feeders. Their muted colors of yellow and olive are so pretty. The faithful cardinals flitted around all day, too. Penelope and I were walking at dusk and stopped for a second under the tall oak tree in my yard to count the cardinals. The big old neighborhood hoot owl hooted loudly and scared us. Penelope headed for the porch dragging me with her. She’s petrified of the owl but I think she’s too fat for him to pick up.

The sun played out her sunset pageant behind thick curtains of soft vanilla clouds. Even the shiny gold sequins on her gown couldn’t be seen through the cloudy stage. I know the sun was dressed to the nines in a beautiful gown, iridescent in a rainbow of colors. She turned out the day’s light, kissing Father Sky goodnight. Father Sky hung the costumed waxing gibbous moon high in the navy sky, turned on the twinkling stars to give light to the night’s stage of darkness, and another night pageant began.

Love this quote about the moon and the sun! “Sometimes, I think of the sun and the moon as lovers who rarely meet, always chase, and almost always miss one another. But once in a while, they do catch up, and they kiss, and the world stares in awe of their eclipse,” —TheMindsJournal. Maybe Mother Nature and Father Sky clouded the evening sky tonight so they could spend time together unseen.

Another favorite quote, “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads,” — Henry David Thoreau. Chief used to say, “Mama, we are living heaven on Earth right now.” He always said this during the happiest of times but I never really understood what he meant till he was gone.”

God is all around us and we do find heaven on Earth. I find God in the beauty of the sunset and I feel a closeness with God as I witness the day’s end. His mystery comes alive in the wondrous colors of Mother Nature’s watercolor brushes. I know God was with Chief and me as I sat by Chief’s hospital bed, God holding our hands as I held Chief’s till he slipped away. And I knew I could get through Chief’s death if I put myself and my grief back in God’s hands.

I see God’s grace when I see my nephew Nate’s beautiful smile. He overcame a life threatening blood disease through medical miracles and multitudes of prayers. I truly believe God held his life in his hands and cured him so he could share his story to help heal others. He’s living his heaven on Earth now and grateful for every moment. I see God’s heaven when cardinals are all over my yard and I can see and feel God in my little dog’s joy on her morning walks.

You don’t have to have a life shattering event in your life to feel and see God’s love. You can discover God in little glimpses of everyday life and in unexpected places if you open your hearts and eyes to the heavenly gifts on Earth. Moments we share with our loved ones are pieces of heaven. God’s grace surrounds us every day. We just have to be aware of his presence and his gifts to enjoy heaven on our planet Earth.

“There’s a heaven on earth that so few ever find, though the map’s in your soul and the road’s in your mind.” — Dan Fogelberg