Sat out in the swing this morning looking out onto my little slice of heaven on Earth and thought what a lucky girl I am. Father Sky has rendered a deep blue sky with clouds in colors of white and gray and purple. Where there are breaks in the clouds the sun is kissing the edges of the clouds bright white with her golden rays. I’m thankful for this glorious Earth we call home and for the magnificent colors of Mother Nature’s watercolors.

I’m admiring all the beautifully colored blooms on my porch flowers — the true red of the geraniums, the rosy pinks and oranges and yellows and purples of the purslanes. Then I gaze on the purplish mauve of the foxgloves at the mailbox, the crayon green sunflower stalks standing tall and straight and budding up in my flower garden, the zinnias blooming in hot pinks and oranges, the pale yellows of the cucumber and tomato blooms, the deep oranges of the squash blooms and the dark forest green leaves of my huge zuchinni plant. Everywhere I look I see the Lord’s touch.

I’m listening to all the songbirds and their symphonies of happiness and watching the squirrels play tag on the old oak tree trunk. I’m simply thinking, thanks for this wondrous day the Lord has made. This prayerful poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson just says it so well.

We Thank Thee

For flowers that bloom about our feet,

Father, we thank Thee.

For tender grass so fresh, so sweet,

Father, we thank Thee.

For the song of bird and hum of bee,

For all things fair we hear or see,

Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

For blue of stream and blue of sky,

Father, we thank Thee.

For pleasant shade of branches high,

Father, we thank Thee.

For fragrant air and cooling breeze,

For beauty of the blooming trees,

Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

For this new morning with its light,

Father, we thank Thee.

For rest and shelter of the night,

Father, we thank Thee

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends,

Father in heaven, we thank Thee.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’m going to keep this prayer in my Bible and read it often. Beautiful words to end a thankful day.

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” — Confucius