Well, the sun returned today, fully charged, bringing her friend humidity back with her. Together they can stir up some sweaty moments. Father Sky sketched a beautiful deep blue sky full of colorful clouds in whites and purples and cigar smoke grays. Late afternoon the clouds dropped silver raindrops highlighted by yellow sunbeams as they tenderly patted the earth. The sunshower was so pretty and the songbirds loved it, frolicking in the showers around the old water oak. The earth was so glorious when the rain stopped. Looked like Mother Nature had freshly painted the landscape with her palette of green watercolors. I love to sit on the porch during sunshowers.

Robert Drake writes, “Do not lose hope, please believe that there are thousands of beautiful things waiting for you. Sunshine comes to all who feel rain.” Sometimes our lives are so full of darkness we don’t think we’ll ever see the sunshine again. God is just a prayer away and he has a big umbrella to hold off the rain and a holy light to guide our way. Sorrow and hardship come into our lives but our faith in a loving God gives us hope and the guarantee of brighter days ahead.

Dearest friend called me today. She was sitting on her porch with her dog Charlie B. and I could her all the songbirds on her bird feeder singing their praises for the beautiful day. Johannes Kepler wrote, “We do not ask for what useful purpose the birds do sing, for song is their pleasure since they were created for singing.” Maybe the songbirds had been reading in Psalms for their morning devotional. Psalm 96:1 commands us to “sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.”

I think we can find something to sing about everyday. Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. Some ordinary days are so special. Something sparks on these days, everything falls into place, and all is right in our world. We need to be mindful of the small joys of life. Appreciate every day. I’m grateful for all my ordinary days. “We have to make good use of the time we have. It’s that simple. We have to wake up every day, knowing that it’s not just an ordinary day. We have to take the moment, seize each day,” Orlando Bloom.

Each day when the sun wakes the world, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness. We look to the sky and see the glorious colors of the sunrise, we feel peace knowing God is watching over us. “Nature is painting for us, day after day, a picture of infinite beauty,” John Ruskin. Psalm 36:5 states, “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.” Even if the clouds cover the sunrise, we know the sun is behind the clouds just as we know God is with us even when we can’t see his presence. “The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night,” Psalm 121:5-6.

Next time the heavens catch your attention say a prayer of thanks and focus on the loving God who topped our world with a beautiful sky. Feel God’s presence and know he is always watching over us.

“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.” — Rachel Carson