Missed the sunset tonight but don’t think it could have been any more magnificent than this photograph of sunset from my friend in Winter Garden, Florida. What a glorious view she has every night with the sun slowly dropping into Lake Apopka at twilight. She described it as the sun setting “under a pastel comforter of oranges, peaches, and pink rose petals.” So pretty and I love her description. Nothing more beautiful than Mother Nature and her watercolor brushes full of the Lord’s wondrous colors.

Tried to eat my breakfast bagel while perched in the swing this morning but I thought the flies were going to carry me off and I’m no dainty little thing. Honestly they drove me crazy. Guess it’s time for one of those fly catching bags and they stink so bad. Maybe I’ll just eat my breakfast sitting at the kitchen table. No… I’ll just fight off the flies because I hate to miss the morning waking up in all its glory. Just read flies hate the smell of cinnamon so I’ll just spray some of my cinnamon oil on the back of the swing. Yeah! Squirrels and raccoons hate that smell, too.

Vet brother stopped by early afternoon to get some tomatoes from my garden. I couldn’t find Cat to let him see her but when he left we saw Cat in the bushes. He could tell Cat was well fed and had been tended to so he said for me to keep it another week to see if it would find it’s way back home. If not we’ll take it to his vet clinic for a checkup and to be fixed. Don’t want to start a cat clowder. Stew and I decided to name her Kit Kat and call her Kat. If it’s boy that name will work, too.

I have done nothing today but enjoy the day. No chores, no cooking. Just porch perching, bird and squirrel watching, and reading chair sitting. Today’s quote is “I cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good that I can do,” — Jana Stanfield. God wants us to live a life of kindness and compassion, treating others as we want to be treated, to do all the good we can.

The world does need all the good we can do! I’ve noticed a change in the responses on social media lately. Most of the responses are so critical and so hurtful. The world is so miserable right now. We’re only concerned with ourselves and our wants. The art of conversation is gone…now it’s just head nods and everyone looking at their phone or computer screens. Even if we’re not talking on the cell phone, it’s safely sitting on the table at dinner time, just in case, being disruptive even though not being actively engaged. Let’s relearn the art of conversation, making eye contact, and truly listening as family and friends talk with us.

In the Bible Micah 6:8 reads, “He hath shown thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” I think all of us are capable of doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. To do justly, God requires us to seek out those that need our help, to treat others as we want to be treated, showing them through our faith that God is kind and faithful and forgiving. Our actions are reflections of our beliefs and our faith. We all love kindness and if we have mercy, we live with charity for others. When we walk humbly with God we value life and have respect for all people.

God has chosen a purpose for everyone’s life and work. God created all of us in his image and our lives reflect the Lord’s teaching. God wants us to have complete faith in him so we can use our Christian testimony to light the darkness in other’s lives, bringing love and hope to them when they suffer. Everyone, from the youngest child to the eldest adult, deserves dignity and respect. If we all live a life of kindness and compassion we can do good in the world. God loves us and wants us to live in harmony. The world needs all the good we can do.

“Hello, sun in my face. Hello, you who made the morning and spread it over the fields …Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness.” — Mary Oliver