A common, ordinary day in mid-November
Overcast and chilly, just like yesterday
Tomorrow promises to be the same
No breeze to make leaves dance
no birds to add lyrical songs
Few trees remain bannered in crimson and gold
Dullness and grayness predominate and
joy seems unwarranted.
But wait—gentle wonders abound
Soft light filters through windows
Candles glow sprightly on tabletops
Hazelnut coffee in a favorite cup
Offers cozy familiarity and
A colorful afghan created by a friend
Wraps my lap in warmth and
My heart with her love.
These quiet wonders provide the perfect backdrop to stilled time
Sublime moments of solitude to experience God’s presence
To receive revelations from his heart to mine
Time to wonder, time to ponder
Time to turn to God and listen
Allowing his Spirit to mend my brokenness
Tend my worriedness and bend my self-centeredness
To his way of contentment.
Ordinary moments on an ordinary day suddenly become holy
Sacred and separate
As attentiveness leads to discovery
Discovery ushers in joy
And joy results in gratitude
I exult in you, Heavenly Father!
You reside among the commonplace as well as the astounding
There is great glory in the ordinary after all.
(Photo credits: www.wikipedia.org; http://www.keyword-suggestions.com; Nancy Ruegg (2); http://www.dailyencouragement.net.)
From the Inside Out 
Nancy, you are such a gifted writer. Your words inspire all of us. Thank you for sharing from the heart and as the Lord leads. Love, Diane
Thank you, Diane. Your encouragement means SO much!
Oh, Nancy! This is just wonderful. Thank you so much – exactly what I needed to read the end of a bruising week, which included a difficult hospital report for a dear friend late today. Please do more of this kind of poetic and prayerful reflection — it suits you very well!
Thank you, Diana. I appreciate your prompting to try this kind of writing more often. It’s a stretch for me, but with exercise, perhaps I’ll improve! Praise God that this day his poetic inspiration provided you with solace at just the right time. I am so sorry for the difficult news you received yesterday, and speak strength, power, and wisdom into the situation, in the name of Jesus!
This part spoke to me:
“Time to turn to God and listen
Allowing his Spirit to mend my brokenness
Tend my worriedness and bend my self-centeredness
To his way of contentment.”
Beautifully written, Nancy. I feel the Holy Spirit in your prose as He guides your thoughts to paper.
Thanks so much!
Thank you back, Cheri. 🙂 Praise God you sensed his presence in these words!
Nancy,
This is beautiful and I am going to use it as a devotional at our UMW meeting and give you, of course as the writer. Pray you do not mind. An inspiration for all. Blessings, Janet
You are most welcome to share these devotionals, Janet. It’s a great satisfaction to know when my prayers are answered, and the posts prove to be an encouragement. Praise God for his inspiration!
wow this is beautiful. Your writing warms my heart!
Thank you, Jean. Praising God here for the privilege of warming your heart!
beautifully, thoughtfully said. Just right for the last day I will probably enjoy a morning at my lake without coat, scarf and hat!
Thank you Carol. We enjoyed a balmy day here as well, tying a record high in the mid-70s for this date. But already a brisk breeze is bringing in cooler air, and they’re predicting the chance of snow-flurries over the weekend! Back to wool socks and fleece tomorrow.
“Time to wonder, time to ponder
Time to turn to God and listen
Allowing his Spirit to mend my brokenness”
I love this, Nancy. Really needing this this week. To let him in and to heal my brokenness. Thank you for sharing. ☺️
Praise God for his timing, Julia. It delights my heart to know my words spoke to you, just when you needed them. Hallelujah!