During the heat wave, it was too hot to sit beside my River and I truly missed it. Many days it was too hot to have my early morning coffee on the front porch, which was a “first time” in my lifetime for such severe heat. One late July morning, I was enjoying my 6 a.m. coffee on the front porch. My lawn had turned green again after weeks of seeing it brown. In fact, I was going to have to try and mow it the next day. Birds were singing at their up most to praise God for the recent rains upon the drought-stricken land. I even saw that I had been able to keep most of my shrubs and flowers alive and there were lovely blooms scattered here and there.
As I read my morning devotion, I began to realize all the blessings we still have in spite of this very uncomfortable time. I have been blessed with a nice shower and clean bed the evening before and an AC to give me a comfortable night’s sleep. In spite of no AC in the kitchen or dining area, I had been able to work out the food detail with little discomfort even if eating corn on the cob in my living room pinched my pride quite a bit.

     Later at my bay window, I busied myself with necessary phone calls, writing bills, etc. when my eyes fell on another devotion booklet that I read from time to time. I picked it up and read these words.

     “I believe that life is given us so we may grow in love, and I believe that God is in me as the color and fragrance of a flower – the Light in my darkness, the Voice in my silence.” Helen Keller
I have often been humbled; often felt ashamed; often brought to my knees; but I have never felt so much like a lowly worm on the ground, as the prophets would say, as I felt after reading those words by a lady who had never heard a bird sing or see a flower in bloom. 

     The heat continued and my blood pressure wants to soar on such days, which require me to get lots of rest. However, I can assure you that those words by Helen Keller made me wake up to a lot of realities that all of us should think about each day we are upon the earth. All of us need to be more grateful and what better time than when we approach Sept. 11th and the Harvest Season.

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