Enjoyed a bagel breakfast today while I sat in the porch swing under an aqua white sky. The day is warm but the swift breeze that runs across my porch is banging the wind chimes as it briefly passes by. Our neighborhood handsome hawk is calling its mate but it’s off key with the wind song symphony like cymbals clanged on the wrong beat. There are six goldfinches sitting on the edge of the birdbath gossiping, gathered like work friends at the water fountain on a Monday morning. I just wonder if they are conversing on their migration or talking about the pink high heels on the doves’ feet.

So pretty outside right now, early afternoon, the sky a mixture of greys and blues, the nighttime’s forecasted silver rain beginning to fill their bellies. A squirrel is monopolizing the bird feeder camera. It’s definitely Fatty. I’m watching him, butt to the camera, shoving sunflower seeds in his mouth with both hands as fast as he can go. He turned around and now I can see his dark intelligent eyes, his long pointed ears, his jet black thick whiskers sticking straight out from his cheeks. He’s a serious forager. The bird café is so full of finches, the cardinals have to sit on the power lines and wait to be seated. I’m enjoying all the beautiful little songbirds today.

Went out after supper to perch in the swing and watch Mother Nature brush her watercolors across the welkin. Mother Nature painted the sunset pageant stage a pale peach glow, blazing like an unattended wildfire, flaming tangerine all across the skyline till the sun turned off the day’s light. Like a beautiful luminous pearl floating in the ocean, resting on the waves’ bubbly foam, the sun rolled down the horizon’s shore on the arm of Father Sky, dressed in a silk gown of creamy milk white, as beautiful as a string of iridescent Mikimoto pearls.

As the sun said goodnight to the day, a golden glow rushed across the skyline and where the clouds touched the sky a splash of watercolors in shades of dusty purple and pale peach contrasted beautifully against the aqua blue of the high sky. As twilight crept down the street with darkness trailing behind, Father Sky kissed the sun goodnight and bid the day adieu. The moon had placed himself earlier high on the night sky stage so Father Sky threw a handful of diamonds into the heavens to bejewel the stars. And the night was awake. The evening’s gloaming had become a gift for my watchful eyes.

While I was waiting for the sunset pageant to begin, I heard the most beautiful train symphony. The train started blowing its horn in busts of short notes, loud and deep and brash, the notes musically echoing softly back like two trains singing lullabies to their little ones. When the horns stopped, I could hear the squeaking and rolling of the steel wheels on the train’s rocking chair tracks. I love listening to the trains as they travel farther down the tracks, their clickety-clack sounds softening as they play out, blending into the night’s music. It’s mesmerizing. When the trees leaf out, the whistle will create a new symphony. The train’s glorious whistle music changes with the seasons.

Chose a quote at random tonight. “Use what talent you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.” The Lord has blessed each and every one of us with talents. God wants us to share our talents with others to enrich our lives and the lives of others. We all have something special that can make a difference in the world or a difference in someone’s life. Pablo Picasso said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose is to give it away.”

We need to find our song and let the world hear it. A choir is made up of many voices and God has given us a heartsong of faith that resonates from deep in our hearts. Our talents are unique to us. Some of us search for our talents others recognize them early. God gives us skills to bring his light to the world. Each of us should use our gifts as stewards for God’s grace, using our talents to serve God. Romans 12:6 reads, “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.” All of us have a heartsong deep within to glorify God. Our heartsongs are messages of faith we need to share.

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” — Confucius.