Woke up at 5 AM this morning to a honking goose on the foot of my bed. Penelope was coughing loudly, a perfect impersonation of a Canadian goose. Reminds me of when my babies had the croup. I could not go back to sleep so I just got up for the day. Took her to vet brother and he fixed her right up, a shot, an antibiotic, and a pedicure for being so good during her visit. She’d lost two pounds so she’s doing well on my homemade dog food. This goose cough happens frequently, usually after she enjoys a small piece of yard trash or a sneaked treat from the kitchen trash can. Penelope seems to feel well. She’s been frisky on her walks today dragging me around as the acorn’s exploded under my feet leaving little pumpkin colored smashed shells. She loves this cool weather, loves sunbathing in front of the electric heater, too.

The sky was so beautiful at dusk’s awakening. As the sun rolled down the horizon, Mother Nature picked up her watercolor brushes, her free hand brush strokes creating line clouds across the horizon in shades of grays and purples and whites and aquas. After cleaning her brush in a Mason jar of rainwater, Mother Nature blushed the bottoms of the clouds a rosy raspberry pink, a glorious painting of the day’s demise. I always feel God’s presence in the glorious sunsets.

When I was cooking supper I watched the setting sun shine all her pointed rays directly on a huge oak down the street, the tree glowing bright yellow with the spotlight of the sun’s rays highlighting its golden leaves. So pretty to see a tree of sunshine in the midst of the dark green magnolias. As Henry David Thoreau said, “Live in each season as it passes; drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of each.”

Been thinking about prayer today. The beauty of prayer is the Lord can listen to our prayers any time of the day or night. We communicate with God through our prayers. Just a simple thank you for the day is sufficient. Praying is just having a conversation with God. There is no right or wrong way to pray. I remember my childhood prayer, “Now I lay me down to sleep….” This sweet prayer was considered a nursery rhyme in the 18th century. I’m sure generations of children have recited this prayer at bedtime and generations will continue to recite it. Praying at night can comfort us and give us peace as we lay down our heads and shut our eyes for sleep. Praying in the morning or reading a short devotional can be a peaceful start to our morning. Prayer helps us stay closer to God.

I think the beauty of prayer is the comfort and peace we receive when we go to God in prayer. Psalm 145:18-20 reads, “God’s there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. He does what’s best for those who fear him — hears them call out, and saves them.” When I saw that beautiful oak tree spotlighted by the sun’s rays I thought, “Thanks, God, for guiding my eyes to that glorious tree.” Be joyful and faithful in your prayers. There is nothing we can’t take to God in prayer. God is listening even when life is noisy and difficult. Even when you think God isn’t listening he’s working on an answer to your prayers.

I’ve shared this prayer many times in my blogs and here it is again. I love this short prayer and read it tonight in my prayers for family and friends. Apache Blessing — “May the sun bring you new energy by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being, may you walk gently through the world, and know its beauty all the days of your life.” So beautiful in its imagery. We should all be lucky enough to “walk gently through the world, and know its beauty all the days of our life.”

Jeremiah 29:12 says, “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” We pray to deepen our relationship with God. We pray for guidance, seeking wisdom and peace. We pray in thanksgiving for our blessings. We pray confessing our sins and we pray asking for help for us and for others. Bible scripture tells us God gave us a divine promise to listen and hear our prayers. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart,” Jeremiah 29:13. God listens to those who call out to him.

“Any concern too small to be turned into prayer is too small to be made into a burden.” — Corrie Ten Bloom