On Back Porch Blessings

We have a wonderful, large screened-in back porch where we hang out as much as possible unless it's too hot and humid or too cold. This morning doesn't fall into either of those categories, so I've been sitting out there with my cup of coffee. Whoops . . . the bird feeder is almost empty. Put the coffee down. Get the bag of bird seed. Fill the feeder. Put the feed away. Return to the porch. As I sipped my coffee, the birds began to return. Cardinals. Finches. Orioles. Other birds I don't know by name because I haven't taken the time to read the bird book we bought a year ago when we came to Arkansas so we'd know what the various birds are that come to the feeder to feed. Someday I'll do that.

Back to my coffee . . .

I'm enjoying the cool morning air -- a blessed relief from the heat we've had for weeks. Granted, the air is very humid since it rained last night and the air is still dripping with moisture, trying to decide whether or not to bless this land with more rain. In the meantime, a gentle breeze dislodges water drops from the myriad of leaves on the trees in the woods just outside the porch, and the birds are in their glory! I keep hoping my little deer will come by for a morning snack, but it's probably too late for them. Whoops . . . I just remembered the load of clothes in the washer needs to be put in the dryer. I'll be right back.

Okay. Where was I? Ah yes . . . the rain and my no-longer-hot cup of coffee. We've actually had quite a bit of rain this past week. Yesterday morning the heavens opened with buckets just as church let out. So we hung around inside and visited longer than usual in hopes that the buckets would at least diminish to a moderate rain. I was amused as several husbands agreed that they'd soon be heading to the car thru the rain to get the umbrella they remembered to bring to church in case it rained but the umbrella got left in the car because it wasn't raining when they got to church . . . Ah yes, chivalry is not dead!

When we were kids, Mom taught us this little song:

Where would we be without the sunshine?
Where would we be without the rain?
Where would we be without the Savior to keep us 'till He comes again?

I guess that's my back porch blessing this morning -- the rain, the sunshine, the Savior!