Went on the porch this morning and the day was just lovely. Father sky had picked up his azure pastel, sketched a dark blue sky, added little thins wisps of white cotton candy clouds, coloring the sun so yellow I could see her golden rays shining down from heaven through the leaves of the old oaks and magnolias, so beautifully filtered through the greenness.

I’m perched in my porch swing, my church pew, the front porch my church, and in the stillness and solitude of the waking day I can feel the presence of God in the calm before the storm of modern life begins. I was enjoying a beautiful songbird symphony, then the lawn mowers and weed eaters cranked up and the rhythm of the day shifted. Right on time the hummingbirds’ cease fire ended and they began their battles like fighter jet pilots in a war defending the capital of nectar feeders. Those little things are mean and their little screams ferocious as they attack, small but mighty.

“In the world of swings, I’ve found my happy place.” Unknown

Oldest brother came by for his porch visit, bragging on his dog learning to sit on command. He was excited to go home and try his new Blue Bell Southern Blackberry Cobbler ice cream he had just purchased at the grocery store. Left his truck air conditioning on while he visited. I bet the ice cream still melted but maybe not. He stole a few tomatoes when he left. He wanted to snitch from the zinnia bed tomatoes but I told him I was saving those for vet brother. I love sitting on the porch with family and friends, just makes my heart smile.

I think of porches as kinds of sanctuaries where life can be passed in solitude, or in happy quiet conversations, where the world can rotate on its axis peacefully. Porches evoke feelings comfort and a sense of home to me. All of God’s creation is in front of me, things most people take for granted, I can see them all from my porch swing perch. I love the chorus in the song Old Porch Swing —“Its been there through the sunshine. Its had its share of rain. Been a witness to some good times an a like amount of pain. If it could tell its story what a violin could sing, that ol’ swing, that ol’ porch swing.”

Stacy Edwards said, “Symbolic of the rhythm of a godly life, the porch swing is slow but consistent.” Jesus was never in a hurry. His teaching and traveling were steady and slow like the constant motion of a porch swing. Research says Jesus walked 21,525 miles in his lifetime. God has already marked our path and left his footsteps for us to follow.

Why are we all in such a hurry, pushing our swings higher and higher and faster and faster. Going fast takes work and then life passes us by till we drag our feet and stop. Don’t stop too late. Don’t let life pass you by.

God’s peace can come to us wherever we are but when I sit in the porch swing God’s grace and peace flood over me. Jesus lived a simple life, unencumbered with things he didn’t need. He knew what mattered most —memories with family and friends and the faithfulness of a loving God.

“Sometimes, all you need is a good swing and a little bit of sunshine.” — Tanya Kancheva