Morning Mercies

It's been a while since I've blogged. Mostly I just don't make the time to sit down at the computer, but I do have another excuse. Lightning hit a tree just into the woods and off the corner of our deck. Mark was under the deck at the time and actually saw it hit. I was upstairs in the kitchen and saw the extremely bright flash and heard the tremendous crack as it hit. I thought that the power would go out, but it didn't. I did, however, lose the internet connection to my desktop computer and have not been able to reestablish it. So, I am now working on my laptop, something I'm a little less familiar with when blogging.

I hope you are enjoying this perfect weather of the past two days. After, what seemed, weeks of heat and humidity, it has now become cooler, dryer, yet still sunny and warm. Our morning walk was wonderful. The first thing I noticed was an indigo bunting that flew past us and perched on the side of the road. I always enjoy seeing them, not only because they're a beautiful shade of turquoise, but also because they remind me of my friend, Lynn, who passed away five years ago of cancer. She was enjoying hummingbirds so much, I told her she needed a finch feeder as well, to see the colorful array of finches. She didn't remember ever seeing the indigo buntings, so I told her to always watch closely when a bird crossed her path on the road during her walks. The very next day, my phone rang and Lynn was ecstatic because she had just seen her first Indigo Bunting on her walk. It was fun sharing that with her.

Also on our walk, I was enjoying the fragrance of the Mimosa trees along the way. It takes me right back to Fort Worth, Texas, where I spent three years of my early years. Our Mimosa tree in the front yard made the perfect climbing tree. My first real friend, Richard, and I had more games of airplanes taking off from the branches of that tree. I also enjoyed my first encounters with hummingbirds there.

If you know much about me, you also know I enjoy bluebirds and currently have a pair nesting in a box on our property that are working on their second brood. We are so blessed to be able to watch them as they go about their business, tending to their young and not so young. Mark and I have also spotted some orioles in the yard and hope to see more of them in the coming weeks.

I've had a familiar hymn going through my head of late. It's called Great Is Thy Faithfulness and comes from Lamentations 3:22,23. This is one of my favorite passages for many reasons. In fact, I enjoy starting at 3:22 and continuing through verse 26. It reads: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, " The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

There's so many reasons to love these words. Some of my reasons include the mention of morning mercies. God promises us new mercies every morning. I always remind myself when I get down late in the day that morning will bring new blessings and grace from God, so just get to sleep and look forward to what God will bring in the morning.

I'm also a procrastinator and twice in this passage it mentions waiting for God. I can really enjoy waiting for God to open a door or close a door, letting me know what direction I am to go. That's so much better than trying to figure it out on my own. I'm also comforted by knowing that God is good to me because my hope is in Him and I am daily seeking Him in my life. Today I saw him in the birds and trees on my walk.

I hope you have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend. Remember all the servicemen and their families around the world who are responsible for our independence. Have a great day, luv, Susan