I’m not what people would describe as a “morning person”.  I am embarrassed to admit that in my younger years my mood for an entire day could be determined by how or when I was awakened. I also enjoyed sleeping in until mid morning when my mother wasn’t around to choose otherwise (that’s another whole blog). But, I’ve matured (I think) and have actually grown to love and embrace mornings especially when the sun is shining, filling our bedroom with the light and warmth from its majestic radiance.

I have always enjoyed the beauty of nature whether it was as a child watching ants work to build a home and gather crumbs for their food store or trapping crickets to have a collection of “pets”. I also was an eager assistant for digging up night crawlers with a neighborhood boy named David; his family had a cottage at Houghton Lake and were avid fishermen.

Perhaps my greatest enjoyment is listening to the songbirds that come to visit our pine trees and the many insects that have taken up residency in our shrubs, flower beds, and lawn. I’ve noticed that the birds are most active between 5 and 6 am. The conversations that I’m privy to as I begin to wake are most delightful. I love to imagine what they are talking about as each voice joins with another. Perhaps they are beckoning or announcing the promise of a new day…..a new food source…..or warnings of natural predators…..or are they responding to a Biblical command: “Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all the depths….beasts and all cattle; creeping things and flying fowl. (Psalm 148) I marvel that these small creations of God’s nature are obedient to their purpose.

Earlier this week we enjoyed (and still are) watching various butterflies coming to feast on our butterfly bush. The wonder of their fluttering wings is a sight to behold and even more enjoyable is that we can approach ever so cautiously and these lovelies don’t become afraid and fly off and away to another plant. We have been diligent in placing a hummingbird feeder on the porch but low and behold the annual visitors prefer the nectar provided by a hanging plant in full bloom. Some of these tiny birds have even hovered in front of the window either confused or admiring the reflection, all the while providing us a bit of brief entertainment.

As much as daytime hours provide abundant appreciation of the birds who come to our yard, I think the evening music is by far my favorite of all. Upon the setting of the sun a choir made up of numerous insects comes to life. On Tuesday evening I was entertained by a particular song piece that was an echo….first one group chirped a few lines and the second group answered…with its own melody. This back and forth concert lasted about half an hour. The song changed as the second group quieted and the first group continued with their performance.

When we’ve had a lot of rain which fills the ditch along our road, we get to enjoy the bellows of frogs. It’s been dry lately so I’m hoping for rain–I miss those guys! With the level of noise this section of the nighttime choir makes, it causes me to wonder “just how many frogs does it take to be that loud?”

It strikes me that the music of the nighttime choir helps to lull me into restful sleep and then with the same peaceful feeling be gently awakened by the morning vocalists. The words will forever be a mystery to me and yet a glimpse into understanding them may come from Lamentations 3: 22-23 “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness”. I’m thankful that all of creation responds with heartfelt gratitude for a new day, and their proclamation song fills my heart and my day with a beauty that is consistent and varied–fading from day to evening and evening ushering in a brand new day complete with a revised version of “God’s new mercies….”

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about “My Favorite Things”. This week as I pondered what I would write about a general concept kept crossing my mind. What if I were to compile a list of “things” that I can count on–you know–almost like Murphy’s Law. The concept that no matter how much one prepares for the day, the week, there are monkey wrenches thrown in the plan or in this case–those “things” that always pop up here and there throughout our day because we just know it will happen or needs to be accomplished. In entertaining this concept I’m not dwelling on negative events in any way. In fact, I am thankful that many of the “things” I can count on bring happiness to my life. So, with that established I’d like to give you a list of a few  “things” I can count on and, again, they are in no particular order other than number 1.

1. God’s promises to be made known to me each morning as I read His Word
2. Hot coffee every morning because that’s one of the many things my husband does to show his love for me
3. Sore muscles every Tuesday and Saturday following my strength training session
4. My best friend Luann singing in the morning as she readies her day
5. Morning chat time with my daughter on her way to work
6. Weeds in my flower beds
7. My perennials to come up year after year….producing new offshoots too
8. Mosquitoes buzzing…fireflies in July…..spiders emerging on cool days and ants looking for crumbs
9. Mailbox sunshine from Heather several times each month
10. A Sunday morning hug from Rhonda
11. My wonderful husband getting slightly irritated with other drivers on a long road trip
12. Seeing photos of my friends grandchildren or kids on their Facebook wall
13. A slight tease now and then from Kevin or one of the boys
14. Dirty laundry
15. An unexpected text message from Daniel to brighten my day
16. Inability to resist fresh baked cookies
17. Getting rain on a just-washed car
18. NEVER making the light at our corner
19. Poodle kisses from Jennah and Quinn
20. Feeling melancholy every September as children return to school

Because I am no longer working outside the home right now one would think that I am enjoying tremendous amounts of free time. Quite the contrary, I am finding that my calendar weeks fill quickly with opportunities to be occupied whether it’s for my benefit or for someone else. Fortunately, I have wonderful devices that alert me ahead of time when and where I  am scheduled to be throughout my week. As I move through each day I am often greeted with one or more of “my things I can count on”. I’m thrilled that I have God’s Word and that hot cup of coffee to begin my morning. A morning chat with my daughter is always a delight and if I receive mailbox sunshine when bringing in the afternoon mail my heart is warmed by the words penned with deep love. Daily tasks of preparing meals and washing dishes are intertwined with some time checking Facebook to see what’s going on in the lives of my friends and family; I can spot things that need prayer or even send a quick email to say hello or ask a question.

In an ever-changing world I like stability. I don’t like unexpected turn of events unless it means being able to exchange mundane for having fun! I like safe. If it weren’t for my faith and trust in God I would fear the uncertainties in life that bring fear and worry. I know that each day holds the potential for the “unexpected” and if or when something were to occur I will remain on the path called “Steadfastness”. As I do so, I will continue to take comfort from the “things I can count on” (See No. 1)

Today (Aug. 5) was another “one of those days” that didn’t belong to me or turn out the way I had thought it would be coming off a good weekend of weather and relaxation with friends which also included a quiet afternoon all to myself. As I settled into a cozy Sunday evening enjoying a cool breeze through the open window and a quick browse through my Facebook contacts I found myself in an open chat with a dear friend relaying the details of a medical emergency involving her daughter, who by the way, is the same age as our daughter. Thus, we are kindred spirits–we are mommas who share a deep love for our girls.

I don’t need or want to go into what those medical details are, nonetheless they are serious and with no hesitation my husband and I decided that in the morning (today–Monday) we would make the drive to the University of Michigan Hospital to visit Kelli, her husband, and our good friends and offer our support, encouragement, and above all else–an opportunity to pray with them instead of just FOR them.

Many of you (my dear readers) know that I live in a small rural community. Our tallest building is maybe three floors. And although I grew up in Saginaw our tallest building in the downtown was 12 floors. So, when we made our exit from US 23 to Downtown Ann Arbor, turning in the direction of the hospital complex I was amazed at the number of buildings connected to one another, several of them looming above the others and all bearing their specialties in big bold letters. I’ve been to Ann Arbor for trips to this same complex but each time has revealed a new aspect of the enormity of this particular healthcare system. At the moment that reality hit me,  I found myself catapulted from my small, quiet rural setting to the busy, hectic and complicated lives of individuals and families walking a hard road.

As we made our way through the parking ramp, each floor, each vehicle and their occupants began telling me an imagined story. I started forming questions in my mind such as ‘I wonder what all these people are doing here?” “Are there this many sick people?” “How many people work here?” The answers didn’t come. They couldn’t because I was an outsider, a bystander on the sidelines of each life.  No–instead on occasion I saw a family with a mentally challenged son make their way to the elevator. He was about 16. Was he born this way? Did an accident rob him of previous good health? Further along were several individuals in wheelchairs making their way to the elevators. Cancer? Therapy? Other needs? I began to think about some of our friends over the years who have been to this hospital for care: a kidney transplant from a daddy to his little girl, one of our son’s best friends who was treated in the burn unit, and others (too many) for cancer treatment.

As we walked the hallways of the hospital we also passed numerous personnel. Each one had a determined, purposeful look and gait to their step. I marveled at how young many of them looked. We also saw people who were in waiting areas…..men and women in wheelchairs….patients being walked down the hallway with a loved one all the while connected to an IV…..a mural of moving scenes that continued to draw me into a world full of questions, blankets of fear, and upside down dreams.

We arrived to our destination. Our visit with Kelli and her family was fantastic. We shared tears and we found laughter in the midst of encouragement and the reality of minor obstacles. We witnessed the love and care offered by complete strangers who are slowly becoming Kelli’s world for the next two weeks.

Later in the early afternoon in God’s great scheme of life, our footsteps crossed the path of a good friend from church who was waiting for a brother to arrive in order that they could make what are called “end of life decisions” for their dear father. In just a few days this beloved, aged man will exchange citizenship from  one place to another and we were able to encourage and give hugs before departing from that brief cross in two paths.

Upon our decision to return home, we took our place in the elevator for the very brief descent to the parking garage. In those very short moments we greeted another passenger, a lone female. One question from myself to her revealed her shocking news–a 57 yr. old boyfriend–formally in good health, diagnosed with pnuemonia had taken a turn for the worse and had been declared brain dead. She would be facing “end of life decisions” on Tuesday morning. All we could say was “We are SO sorry….” as the doors of the elevator opened and we parted our ways, another chance meeting of someone walking on a hard, emotional path leading to a final goodbye.

We left Ann Arbor in a fair amount of silence. We moved along with the busy traffic making our way out of the city to the expressway where we joined other cars and trucks of all sizes headed in our direction. I couldn’t help but think  again “what is their story?” as the hospital complex disappeared from our rear view mirror. I felt a twinge of sadness that with such ease I was able to be returning to the comforts of home, unencumbered and quite healthy knowing my biggest decision for the ensuing evening was choosing what to prepare for dinner. A wave of gratitude swept over me and blanketed me with humility and appreciation for living in good circumstances.

I’ve said final goodbyes to both parents and a mother-in-law. Those are bittersweet memories that I cherish, but having spent but a few hours in one our nation’s most prestigious hospitals still reminded me that life is fragile, it is precious and it is temporary. For that reason I am  joyfully embracing the Truth that my residency here on earth is not permanent. I feel myself dancing inside as I  focus and meditate on the promise that in John 15: 18-19 Jesus states that “I don’t belong to the world….” I belong to a great Shepherd Who is with me every step that I take. My prayer is that Mark can hear those Footsteps as he and his brother say goodbye to their dad…that the echo of His Footsteps bring comfort to the woman in the elevator reeling in unbelief and shock…..that the staff at ALL hospitals seek to walk in His Footsteps as they care for every man, woman, and child….and that everyone I meet has a “chance encounter” on a winding path of life’s experiences  with the One True Living God Who IS “our World”.