Sat on the porch this morning eating my breakfast under another beautiful blue sky sketched by Father Sky. Been trying to describe the clouds. The sky has been full of beautifully painted clouds all day. Right now the edges of the large white fluffy clouds are dusted with grey, getting ready to fill their bellies with rain. The clouds are traveling quickly, grabbing each other and holding hands. We’ve had several sunshowers. The afternoon sun was so bright and clear, making me squint my eyes as I looked across the neighborhood.

I ate my supper on the porch tonight watching the falling twilight drink in the sunset and wake the night. The clouds are layered and puffy, resembling a thick fleece blanket pulled up high by Mother Nature to keep the glorious sunset warm. Mother Nature is brushing her watercolors of golden honey across the horizon silhouetting the trees jet black getting the stage ready for the pageant of sunset. The large cloud audience, seated on the crest of the horizon, are brushed in huckleberry, turquoise, and golden honey watercolors watching the sun, dressed in her gleaming evening gown of ivory white, begin her walk down the pageant stage. As the sun takes the arm of Father Sky, a small wildfire of ripe peach flames up briefly across the horizon, quickly snuffed out by the heavy huckleberry rain clouds. Father Sky kisses the sun goodnight and leaves to wake the waning gibbous moon and the twinkling stars. The day ends and the night begins with thunder and lightning as a storm brews.

As I get up from the porch swing to go in the house, I immediately think of God resting on a big front porch in heaven, seated in a large wooden rocking chair. I see his suntanned sandaled feet resting on the porch rails. He’s smiling, relaxed, looking out over the magnificence of the world he created, proud of the beauty of the day’s gloaming. I hope one of his angels standing near says to him, “Well done, my Lord.”

Armin Houman writes, “Life is not measured by time. It is measured by moments.” I love that thought. We all experience so many memorable moments as we travel through life. I’m grateful for the gift of memory so I can recall these cherished moments. We should all be encouraged to define our life by the cherished moments and not by the number of years we live. Small ordinary moments form a foundation for a memorable life. Sadly, we all experience these moments every day not even realizing how fleeting they are. Our hearts are molded by these moments.

Ralph Waldo Emerson counsels us to “Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” William W. Purvey writes, “You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching, Love like you’ll never be hurt, Sing like there’s nobody listening, And live like it’s heaven on earth.” “God gave us a sweet spot in which we were made to dwell. And when we find that spot, life becomes heaven on earth,” inspired by Max Lucado. As we travel life’s path, let’s focus on spiritual peace and joy as we treat others with kindness and compassion. Let’s all “live like it’s heaven on earth.”

“Our reason for being here is to experience the truth that we’re in paradise here right now.” — Paraphrasing Ted Turner