The sun rose this morning and burst to life in a beautifully watercolored sunrise waking the earth to a glorious day. Mother Nature informed Father Sky we had had enough of his clouds and overcast sky canvases and told him today was a day for the sun to celebrate her glory, to warm the Earth and the little birds’ wings. Father Sky picked up a pale sky blue pastel and colored a lovely canvas filing it with thin white line clouds rolled over purple on their crowns like ocean waves curled close to the shore. As the day lingered angel wing clouds floated high in the blue heavens, their feathers uncurling as they slowly drifted across the horizon.

I sat in the swing pondering till I got chilly and came in to sit by my Netflix wood burning fireplace. I swear I can feel the heat from the tv screen! The birds have been scarce lately but the faithful cardinals flocked around the feeders while I sat outside, warming my heart with their beauty. Always feel Chief’s presence when I see the handsome crimson cardinals.

The sunset was so beautiful tonight in watercolors of pink and aqua and yellow and orange. Mother Nature let her brushstrokes make their own path of pink and aqua in the heavens as she painted the horizon in golden yellows and fire oranges. The sun was dressed in a flaming orange mini dress, rainbow feathered boa around her neck, knee high lime green patent leather boots on her slender rays. Father Sky, not wanting to be out dressed chose a lemon yellow leisure suit and purple platform shoes. The sun reached out for Father Sky’s arm and they walked down the sky bringing the daylight‘s kaleidoscope of colors down the horizon with them. As usual, Father Sky kissed the sun goodnight and went to wake the players in the night sky pageant. I just checked on the production but only the stars are on stage dressed in their sparkling diamonds. The moon, Mr. Waning Gibbous, ending his last quarter phase, is only half dressed, so he’s hiding behind the dark purple clouds.

Was listening to the radio after supper tonight, Debbie Boone singing You light Up My Life, and wondering about the symbolism in her song. Always thought that song was about falling in love but hearing it tonight I feel it’s about God and the realization that we are never alone when we have Jesus in our hearts. “Alone in the dark but now you’ve come along and you light up my life, you give me hope to carry on, you light up my days and fill my nights with song.” I think one of the most wonderful things about living a Christian life is the knowledge of God’s “hope to carry on.” We turn our troubles over to God, put our burdens on his shoulders, and he promises that tomorrow will be a better day. “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours,” Mark 11:24. We clutch that thought close to our heart and the day will be better.

Romans 15:13 reads, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” God can always give us hope to carry on another day. Darkness should not be feared when we can call on God. We are surrounded by the light of the Holy Spirit. We can light candles in the darkness through our prayers and thanksgiving. The world is full of darkness but we can be a light of hope in the darkness with kindness, a powerful weapon against the dark storms of life. Simple gestures of compassion can be a lifesaver of light in someone’s day.

John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The light of Jesus can be a lighthouse beacon bringing us home to God. Boone sings, “Rollin’ at sea, adrift on the water. Could it be finally I’m turnin’ for home?” We can help those drifting through life by being a witness of God’s Holy Spirit. We can steer their ship home to God.

“Faith points us beyond our problems to the hope we have in Christ.” — Billy Graham