Dear Reader:

Late yesterday afternoon I went to my bedroom “office” to start today’s blog and sat there wondering what it would be about…I honestly don’t know until I start typing. I am just as curious as anyone else.

Suddenly I heard a loud boom of thunder from off in the distance…while it was still sunny right outside my window. Curiously I grabbed my IPhone and headed out to my bench. From there I saw it… between the tree branches…the deep dark bluish-black skies rolling in. I felt chills go down my back. Mother Nature is so beautiful while being so powerful simultaneously.

I took the title photo and edited it while still sitting on the bench. When I heard my name I looked up and Susan, another neighbor, was walking her dog and she had spotted me…trotting over. She asked me what I was doing…and I told her how much I loved summer thunder storms.

I told her that our other neighbor, Vickie, loved the fresh smell of the rain falling from the sky during a thunderstorm…it was her favorite smell. She always texted me when she smelled a thunderstorm approaching…as if on cue my IPhone pinged and we laughed together.

I then went on to quickly summarize the true story I have printed two or three times in the blog for you over the years from an old Readers Digest magazine.

In summary…A little baby girl was born prematurely and very little hope was held out by the doctors that she would make it or if she did…she would have brain damage, as well as, physical handicaps. Facing this dire prognosis her parents never gave up….her mother sat by the incubator, day after day, with all the wires going in and out of her child…simply wishing she could hold the teeny tiny body in her arms so the child could feel the tremendous outpouring of love she had for her.

Miraculously the child survived…with no brain damage and minimal physical restrictions. One day, when she was about five, she and her mother were at the ball park watching her older brother practicing when a boom of thunder was heard and felt by the shaking bleachers. The coaches began whistling for the boys to come in off the field…while parents and siblings began climbing down from the bleachers.

Suddenly the mother realized the little girl was still sitting on the top bleacher with her arms spread wide open and the biggest smile of happiness on her face. The lightning was getting closer and yet the little girl paid no attention to her mother’s verbal warning to get down immediately.

As rain began to fall the mother ran back up to the top of the bleachers as the child hugged herself and laughed and laughed. Frantic with worry the mother asked her child what was going on…why wasn’t she listening to her. By now the rain was soaking both of them but still the child squealed with delight.

Finally she said…”Do you smell it mommy?” The fresh rain!” Her mother suddenly realized something bigger than a thunder storm was going on in her child’s mind.

“What about the smell?” her mother asked quietly.

“It’s God, mommy!” When He held me on His lap when I was a baby God smelled like fresh rain!”

Her mother hugged the child and now understood that all those months she prayed and begged to be able to hold her little girl…God was doing it for her.

I finished by telling Susan that I have never forgotten that story and every time I smell ( like Vickie) that wonderful fresh smell of summer rain…I remember it is also being the smell of God and smile.

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So until tomorrow…For me this was a magic moment yesterday…to share a story that Susan and Vickie (told it to her years ago) will always associate with the smell of God.

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Another magic moment happened Saturday afternoon when Jakie, Mandy, and I were looking at the pond and watching a group of ducks swimming together. Three took off at one time…leaving one duck behind. I managed to get this photo before it, too, joined the others…I love the reflection in the water.