Heaven-Kissed

Is this a time to be cloudy and sad,
When our mother Nature laughs around;
When even the deep blue heavens look glad,
And gladness breathes from the blossoming ground?

There are notes of joy from the hang-bird and wren,
And the gossip of swallows through all the sky;
The ground-squirrel gaily chirps by his den,
And the wilding bee hums merrily by.

The clouds are at play in the azure space
And their shadows at play on the bright-green vale,
And here they stretch to the frolic chase,
And there they roll on the easy gale.

There's a dance of leaves in that aspen bower,
There's a titter of winds in that beechen tree,
There's a smile on the fruit, and a smile on the flower,
And a laugh from the brook that runs to the sea.

And look at the broad-faced sun, how he smiles
On the dewy earth that smiles in his ray,

On the leaping waters and gay young isles;

Ay, look, and he'll smile thy gloom away.

                             ~ "The Gladness of Nature" by William Cullen Bryant

Sometimes I see beauty so massive, so breathtaking, so pure that my heart almost breaks. It often comes in the overwhelming glory of an evening sky. Our land might be flat as a pancake, but our porch faces squarely West and the skies are more than enough to make up for our single dimensions in the land. This is a picture of only one of the skies God gives me daily. I'm a single girl with a romantic heart--I take these as tender words and love-gifts from the Lover of my soul. With such a gift before me, how can I long for anything mortal? Look for these kisses from Heaven, and your soul will be filled to over-flowing with the goodness of our Lord.

"The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day utters speech and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no language where their voice is not heard."

                         ~From Psalm 19