This morning was so pretty. I watered the vegetables and cleaned the bird baths. The bee and wasp bird bath party is over, thank goodness. Those critters pack a punch. I was sitting in the swing enjoying the songbirds, the peace of a quiet day. My son comes out to tell me it’s too hot for me to be outside. Tells me the real feel temperature is 106 degrees. I honestly had not been hot till I heard his words. Instantly, I broke a sweat and I was too hot. In I came to the reading chair and my quote books.

After we said the blessing tonight at supper I told my son I needed to do an Indian rain dance. He said he was more powerful so he laughed and did a little rain dance. Well, we laughed but after supper it thundered and lightninged enough to blink the power several times and finally the rain came pouring down for 15 minutes, just enough to wet the vegetables’ whistles. It’s rained all around us for several days, always missing us, so today we got lucky.

Just 15 minutes of God’s silver raindrops has greened up the landscape and put smiles on the sunflowers’ faces. As I look at the deep vivid pinks, purples, and orange blooms of the zinnias, flourishing in a garden of waist high grass, I can hear them quoting Langston Hughes among themselves. “Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.” My favorite raindrop quote.

Crystal Woods writes, “A sunset is the sun’s fiery kiss to the night.” At dusk the vermilion fires of sunset are burning across the horizon where Mother Nature has stroked her purple, aqua and pink watercolors in broad strokes across the high heavens. A beautiful kiss hello to the approaching night. The sun rolled down the horizon earlier dressed in her red London Fog raincoat and matching rain bonnet. Father Sky, dressed in his navy Mackintosh and gray sou’wester held the sun’s hand and helped her dodge the mud puddles. They laughed as they splashed through the rain in their crayon yellow rubber rain boots. After Father Sky kissed the sun goodnight and the darkness settled, he lassoed the moon and stars and pulled them from their cloud covers into the navy night sky to light the way of the night travelers as a glorious day the Lord has made ends.

Picked up a book of quotes from Rose Kennedy today. Two of them I really love. The first quote is, “Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn’t people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them?” The birds in my yard enjoyed the feeders after the rain today. They were singing and flittering around. We all weather storms in our lives. Rose Kennedy lost four children in her lifetime but kept living and embraced the sunlight that eventually flooded her life. We can’t just give up when life goes tragically astray and we shouldn’t feel guilty about finding love and laughter again. Our loved ones would want us to be happy. God wants us to capture happiness again after the storms have raged. He sends the beautiful rainbow to remind us of his promise.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Time heals all wounds.” Mrs. Kennedy elaborated on that sentiment and said, “It’s been said time heals all wounds. I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.” What a realistic way to describe a mother’s loss of a child. “I am not going to be licked by tragedy, as life is a challenge,” she writes. “We must carry on and work for the living as well as mourn for the dead.” Mrs. Kennedy was a strong brave woman. She weathered some dark storms in her lifetime but never lost her faith in God’s grace.

Our blessings and the unconditional love freely given by God is grace. We don’t earn God’s grace. God’s grace is free and everlasting. Ephesians 2:8-9 reads, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” God’s grace is given to us despite our failures, mistakes, and sins. This spiritual strength from God helps us overcome life’s challenges and helps us live according to his commandments.

God is also merciful, withholding punishment for our indiscretions. He doesn’t punish us for our sins choosing instead to extend grace and compassion. Psalm 103:10 reads, “He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.” When we struggle in life, God’s grace gives us comfort and strength. When we’re weak, God’s grace and our unwavering faith give us strength. Second Corinthians 12:9: reads, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” “We all face difficult times. It is only the Grace of God that gives strength to endure,” Lailah Gifty Akita.

“In God’s garden of grace, even a broken tree can bear a fruit.” — Rick Warren