Hello, God. It's me, Mara.

You know, Lord, this is the time of year where there is a hint of fall in the air, and due to our changing of seasons, sometimes the sky looks like watered-down milk, and we might even wonder out loud: what happened to the blue sky? And then there are clouds, lots of different shapes, some in silhouettes we can almost “recognize.”  When we were kids at home on the ranch, yes, we were sure that we saw a big whale, a bunny rabbit peeking around a cloud, plus other animals that all three of us kids saw — in the clouds!

  There was another such happening three years ago and this week is an “anniversary” of that “occasion” at the cemetery. We reflect on that particular day, knowing that You were there for we saw a heart in the clouds surrounded by blue sky. No one else mentioned that they noticed the heart of clouds in the heavenly blue sky. Maybe at that moment we were just reminded that there is a time for birth, there is a time to die, there is a time to weep and a time to laugh, there is a time to keep precious memories of love of our dear one who was being buried that day. There is a time to appreciate Your faithfulness, Your mercy, Your love, Your graciousness and Your patient compassion. 

We know, Lord, that You are holy, righteous and just; we also know that You reveal these qualities with Your compassion, graciousness, patience and overflowing mercy and love, especially in our time of need. And that day was a day of “need.” Lord, as time passes on, help us display each of Your virtues more fully as we reflect on Psalm 103:8, “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”

Love, Mara