Another beautiful hot summer day. I sat in the porch swing bird watching till the sweat ran down my brow and I gave up and came in the house. There’s a glorious breeze now making the bamboo I see out my window pull on their cowboy boots and begin to dance the Texas Two Step. It’s mid-afternoon and the sun is filtering prettily down through the bamboo’s thin green fingerling fronds coloring them a vivid fluorescent green, almost a neon green. As I look toward the sky the bamboo are towering over my house offering the songbirds a respite from the afternoon heat. Three squirrels are sitting on the fronds, their tails held in perfect question mark, their fur ruffled by the breeze.

When I return to the porch swing at sunset, the cardinals flocking to the bird feeders are so handsome. The plumage on the juvenile cardinals is colored with reds and blacks, tans and browns, and oranges and grays. The vibrant red mature males with their mates dressed in warm velvet brown and tan are so pretty contrasted with the sunflowers blooming under the old water oak. Cardinal pairs are monogamous and mate for life. In the summer during their breeding season you can watch the males feed their mates. A female cardinal is the one of the few female songbirds in North America that sing.

Several years ago my youngest son gave me a collection of bird bookmarks for Christmas. The bookmarks are so pretty. Each marker features a songbird with advice from that bird. My three favorites are the cardinal, the chickadee, and the bluebird. I love the advice from a cardinal — Stand out in the crowd. Go out on a limb. Be a bright spot in other’s lives. Speak up! Be home before dark. Add color to your life. It’s OK to be a little flashy! The chickadee marker reads, Sing a cheerful tune. Be full of life. Learn to adapt. Spend time in the woods. Get along with everyone. Make a cozy nest. Be bold, no matter your size! The bluebird marker advises us to Rise early. Spread a little happiness. Keep a song in your heart. Think spring. Be colorful. Feather your nest with friends. The sky’s the limit! Good advice from my songbird friends.

A bookmark is placed between the pages of a book to keep track of our reading progress. I think God can be our personal bookmark. We have free will to write our life’s story and God keeps abreast of our story as he marks where we are. When our story gets stormy, God’s bookmark of love and grace gives us a place to pause and rest before we resume our life’s narrative. We navigate with faith through our journey with God as our editor. God’s holds our story together through trials and challenges. He helps us write chapters strengthening our faith and helps us close chapters of painful events. God remembers our story, offers guidance through his word and holy light, and opens and closes chapters with redirection towards new opportunities.

Oldest sister-in-law called me this morning. We usually have a daily conversation. She is truly a mother of pearl. When I first moved back home five years ago her daily phone calls were rays of sunshine through the storm clouds of my grief for Chief. She called every morning cheerfully consoling me and encouraging me back to life one phone call at a time. She has a deep, heartfelt love and devotion for her family and grandchildren. She’s a nurturing and loving “NeNe” to her grandchildren. Her inner beauty is reflected in her many acts of kindness for strangers, family, and friends. She’s steadfast and patient. She was the first family member I called when Rosalyn died. She stayed home with my youngest son when he decided not to attend Rosie’s funeral. She graciously sat in the yard with him, a little boy grieved, and watched the funeral procession drive by our home to our family cemetery. She’s fun to go shopping with and likes to make the day exciting by bumping shelves with her shopping cart. She once knocked down a six foot tall display of coloring books. Her daughter and I heard her yell, “I’m all right,” as we hurriedly left the Dollar Tree, acting like we didn’t know her. Youngest sister-in-law is a beautiful jewel, too. My sisters-in-law are like my sisters, gifted to me by my brothers. I love them very much and appreciate their love and understanding.

Sometimes we don’t think to thank family members for all they do for us. We just take for granted they know we are appreciative and thankful for their help. Thank you means a lot to me and I try to say it often and heartfelt. When was the last time you thanked someone for a mundane task? Wonder how many thank yous all the school teachers in my family have heard throughout the years? Bet I could count them on one hand. I worked in day care for ten years and only one time did a parent tell me thank you. I still remember what she said and the sincere tone of her voice. “Thank you, Mrs. Lane,” she said, “for taking care of my baby. I don’t worry about him because I know he’s being well taken care of.” I’ll never forget her or her beautiful little boy. A simple thank you is very powerful.

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.” — Randy Pausch