What a beautiful day!
The birds are singing. The sun is streaming through the trees, leaving intricate shadows on the porch. The breeze is gentle, carrying the smell of lilacs with it. My coffee is almost perfect and I am ready for another day.
I love sitting on my front porch. It looks out onto the trees across the street and I have planted enough flowers that my son says it almost looks like a tropical forest. (I see nothing wrong with that.) The sun warms my legs, the birds sing sweetly to me, the hummingbirds stop by for a visit and the flowers share their vibrant colors. It is one of my favorites ways to start the day.
“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)
Amen! Yes, each day is a new beginning, a fresh start. Our God, in His Grace, gives us each new day to start over. My last post I talked about those negative, anxious thoughts that can cloud our minds as we try to fall asleep. Well, look around at this new day. Capture the beauty around you, the amazing things God created. Stop and listen to the earth, the quietness, the newness. Does this mean that all of our troubles have somehow disappeared? No, not at all. I do believe that with the sunrise, things seem a bit more bearable. We can take a deep breath and feel that we can make it through whatever hardships we are facing. They might not pass right now, or even tomorrow…but they will. (Believe me, I do not say that lightly. I have been through dark days and have felt hopeless, thinking that things would never get better. So I say this with all the love and honesty that I can.) Let us take just a moment, even if it’s just for a brief moment, to celebrate the fact that God brought us a new day.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” (Psalm 19:1-2)
The earth sings to God. The heavens praise his name. All of creation rejoices in Him. If you have a heavy heart; if the hard times you are in seem never ending; if the night is so dark and you cannot bring yourself to sing praises right now…let the earth do it for you. Quiet yourself and listen to creation sing. Let the heavens rejoice for you. God will hear your quiet praise. He will listen to your soft, whispered prayers on the wind. If the tears come, let them fall. Sit in the moment and allow the rejoicing to flow around you. In time you will start to lift your voice as well.
My prayer for you is that as you sit quietly and listen to creation you will hear God’s voice. I pray that his gentle voice comforts you, strengthens you and reassures you. I pray that you find peace, even if it’s just in that moment. And I pray that the songs of creation carry you through to another new day!
See you on the front porch.