Logic and sermons never convince,

The damp of the night drives deeper into

my soul

– Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman

Such a sunny day, such intense light all afternoon. It’s hard to imagine that in just three hours, this corner of the world that I live in will lose its daylight and welcome the darkness. The street lights will light the dark streets, houses and apartment spaces will be warm with lamp lights, stars and moon will glow up above. I will turn on the chandelier in my living room in just three hours. That thought makes me visit outside more frequently. I try my best to stay fully awake to the golden afternoon sunlight, to the warm breeze coming from the south. I deeply engage in the swaying of the naked branches every time wind sweeps through.

Just last week, we had a few inches of snow. It was so cold that I had to put three layers of clothing on my toddler before I complete her outfit with a thick ski jacket. Now the daily and weekly weather conditions change with dramatic seasonal shifts. It’s like spring in Tennessee today and winter in Finland tomorrow. And with each passing day bringing its difference season, I try my best to welcome it as the way it reveals itself.

Warm wind tangles my unruly hair. Wet snowflakes melt quickly on my cheeks and palms. Late afternoon sunlight mellows my gaze as I marvel at how these simple miracles drive deeper into my soul. Today comes and I am convinced. I am certain that God is real, as real as my senses. Every day is a simple reminder that God is in every whispering wind, in every snowflake, in every sunlight that touches my naked soul. Today comes and I am convinced. I am certain that Heaven is real, that these heavenly senses I feel here on earth come only from Him, my Savior.