I literally porch swing potatoed all day. Loved every minute of the cooler temperatures with no humidity. A glorious breeze softly played with the wind chimes. Father Sky kept the sun hidden from view with his layers of pale sky pastels in the colors of vanilla, grey, purple, and blue. The overcast clouds would meld and mix together so prettily. I watched the songbirds enjoying the feeders and the bird baths. Mr. Downy woodpecker came back late afternoon and Mrs. Downy had Cloroxed his white vest and washed his black and white checked coat. He was gussied up. Tickles me when he hangs upside down to feast on the suet. He was back to his dapper self today with his little red cap on. He’s a serious eater on the suet baskets.

Watched the sunset in my mind this evening. I imagined Mother Nature, behind a curtain of clouds, dipping her watercolor brush in golden warm honey, painting the horizon in a pale gold light that burst into a wildfire of watermelon pink watercolors as the sun rested on the top of the horizon. The sun stepped into a bright red sequined gown to walk down the sunset stage. Father Sky walked on stage dressed in a jet black tuxedo complete with walking cane and top hat. He bowed to the sun and took her hand as they walked down the horizon drawing the daylight’s glow into a happy slumber with them. As twilight silently walked across the landscape, the lightning bugs turned on their nightlights, the cardinals left the feeders, and the squirrels returned to their nests. The day was done and the night begun.

“When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.” — Benjamin Franklin 

Left the hose pipe on today for about 15 minutes before I realized. I feel so guilty when I do that. Globally one in four people lack access to safe drinking water. One hundred six million people rely on the open untreated water of ponds, lakes, and rivers. I find that hard to believe in today’s world. I’m thinking of all the water I’ve used today. Washing machine, dishwasher, hand washing pots and pans letting the water run down the sink waiting for the water to get hot, shower, toothbrushing, watering garden and vegetables, filling bird baths…and the list goes on. Santos Kalwar writes “Always be like water. Float in the times of pain or dance like waves along the wind which touches its surface.” I’m going to remember this quote next time I stand on the ocean’s shore.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the average home wastes up to 90 gallons of water a day which adds up to 10,000 gallons of water per household per year. Nationally that adds up to 1 trillion gallons. Think about that next time you turn on a faucet. I’ve trained myself to not leave the faucet running while I brush my teeth. Maybe that helps in some small way. We all just take our clean water for granted. We don’t even think of water not pouring out when we turn on the faucet. And the wonders of ice…I’ve had crushed ice in my Mason jar of water all day long.

In Bible scripture water is used as a token of salvation. Water can be a symbol of a ceremonial cleansing or it can be a symbol of destruction. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples to teach them how to be humble and how to serve other people. The chore of washing feet was given to the lowliest servant in the household. God sent the flood during Noah’s lifetime to bring goodness back to earth. The living water of God allows life on Earth and offers us eternal life. In John 4:10 Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman at the well, saying, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” Water quenches our thirst. Jesus quenches our spiritual thirst. Jesus offers us salvation and the living water is used as a metaphor, giving life-giving properties of water to Jesus and his teachings. “But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life,” John 4:14.

Jesus cleanses us and nourishes our souls, filing us with the Holy Spirit. Our faith in the living water of God gives us ability to share his spiritual love with others. We become a source of God’s love and grace and his living waters flow from us. Water is life.

“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” — Loren Eiseley