Thanks, Dad

This morning's skyline was not nearly so colorful as yesterday's, but it was still awesome to watch God lavish our senses with His awesome artwork.

The cloud-yes, cloud this morning was one very large, rough, dark rectangle.  In the rectangle were two windows, allowing for a hint of morning sun about to rise above the horizon and behind that cloud.  The pinks, however weren't vivid like yesterday.  They were pale, muted, faded, and there was no gold.  The unusual thing about this cloud is that the entire time were were there, it did next to nothing to change shape.  We were there over 30 minutes and that cloud continued to hug the horizon and not drift in any direction.  Occasionally, lightening would warn of the pending storm the weathermen have predicted for today.  Even those flashes were muted.

We used to call it heat lightening when I was a girl growing up in Pennsylvania.  Remembering that took me back to childhood when my dad taught me to marvel in God's creation, rather than to fear it.  I have a healthy awareness of it's danger, but on one particular summer night, we had a rain storm that was beautiful to watch.

Next door to our place, someone started to build a house, but never got past clearing the land and putting in a few ditches where footers and pipes would go.  As kids, we used to put boards over the ditches and make "houses" out of them.  Today, I wonder that we never encountered snakes or spiders in those very dark places.   Anyway, after the building site was abandoned, black locust trees grew tall, thin, and prolific.  Their leaves are light green on top and silver underneath.

That night of the summer storm, we sat on the kitchen table and watched a strong wind blow those slender tree trunks into a 90 degree angle, the leaves turning their back to the pouring rain and wind.  All we could see of the trees were the leaves, forming a carpet above the bent trunks.  The silver leaves gleamed in the rain and flashes of lightening as the wind ruffled through them.   I remember Dad saying how beautiful nature is, even in times of storm.  His words impressed on my young mind and heart that even in storms, there's beauty.

Since school begins next week, I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to join Bob and Sheila in a lovely morning walk, but in just 2 days, I've discovered how good it is to exercise the body, communicate with nature, bond with my husband and dog, and cherish fond childhood memories.  An altogether lovely way to start the day.