Today is the last full day of summer. The autumnal equinox is at 8:43 AM Sunday, so early birds can enjoy a few moments of summer before the sun is exactly at the Equator. Between exploding pagers and Israeli bomb strikes, Haitians fearful for their lives in a Ohio city, and starvation in Somalia, it’s been a grim last week of summer. We feel we need a respite from the world.
Here it is: In a story that reminds one of the 963 Walt Disney film, The Incredible Journey about two dogs and a Siamese cat making a 300 mile trip to get home, a cat that somehow got lost in Yellowstone (who brings a cat to Yellowstone, anyway?) walked 600 miles to California and gets reunited with the family. The microchip helped.
Unlike the film, this poor Siamese was really worn out but a woman saw the cat in the street and brought him to a shelter where the microchip reconnected the pet with its owners. Non-pet owners probably don’t understand the attachment but it’s real. So is the end of summer.
Prayer for the Day
As we enter a season of longer nights, open our eyes to your light,
So we are able to look through the windows of your majesty;
May we see your grace in the world around us,
Bringing us a new vision, full of possibilities
Open us to the beauty of life around us
As we strive to bring your kingdom on earth.
In the name of the One who shows us the way,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
Albert Camus, writer, philosopher (1913-1960)
By all these lovely tokens September days are here. With summer’s best of weather and autumn’s best of cheer.
Helen Hunt Jackson, American poet, activist for Native Americans (1830-1885)
Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down
The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase,
Righteousness will go before God, and will make a pathway for God’s steps.
Psalm 86: 10-13