God's miracles are all around us and can range from extravagant to subtle. Being a witness to a miracle, whether from personal experience or observation, is a powerful praise to God as well as another gift from God, when we share it with others.

The view of the sunset looked like crimson fingers stretching out over the hillside as if to try to gain purchase of another's hand...one who may be reaching for help as the last gasp of air slipped out.
 
Seeing the significance of this made me appreciate my position in Christ....no matter where I was or what I was doing, if I was failing or being successful, sinning or being pious …… Jesus' hand was there to rescue me, to right me, to dust off the dirt and disease, to straighten out my clothes and make me presentable to the Father.
 
At that moment I realized that I had gotten what I came for, perhaps an epitome, a moment of clarity, a paradigm shift. Catching a fish no longer seemed as important.
 
About an hour later …….

I was thinking about that sunset with an attitude of gratitude …… I was able to capture it in my heart and on film too!

Fingers of God

In the meantime my rod was propped up with dead branches and had a glow bracelet set dangling from the loop in the line. I would scan the blackness listening for sounds and keeping a vigil for any movement of the dollar store light beacons.
 
All of a sudden there's action, the luminescent ring shoots up and the pole bows down as if to worship the black still waters of the lake. I was up in a flash and setting the hook as line peeled off my mini-reel. It was a fish!!! It was a big fish!!! It was a dang big fish!!!!
 
I played the brute for 10 minutes, getting it close enough to see color, easily a 5 pounder, just to have it peel off line like an annoyed bull chasing the village idiot. I knew then that I was in trouble. The shale embankment descended at a dreadful angle and every shift of my position found myself sliding closer to the water's edge. I would be patient, I would endure, I would overcome the insurmountable odds of landing a 7+ pounder without a net, using a pole meant to catch brook trout in a drought year.

The fish was tiring and I was gaining the edge. My mind drifted as I expertly maneuvered the fish closer to my precocious location. I imagined posing with the mighty catch ….. 9 lbs of mean bass ….. with a confident but comical facial expression …… another great addition to my growing library.

Then PUUUUTPH!!!! The fish came unbuttoned! My jaw dropped as I saw the dorsal fin swagger away. That fish KNEW it had won! Yet not one expletive left my lips, only a sense of utter disappointment and failure. The one that got away in the darkness was somehow larger than ANY other I had caught at this lake before. It was a monstrosity of a fish...easily 11 lbs.
 
Then I remembered the hand in the sunset...I sat down, smiled and was grateful to God for the battle, (albeit lost) the opportunity to engage, the desire to try again and most importantly ……….. the Grace to smile even in defeat.

R.R.

So many things in life that are considered fantastic, awesome, amazing, stupendous, phenomenal ...... are equated as being "like Heaven!" Have you ever wondered and/or formed an opinion about what Heaven will be like?

I have only been in a plane twice. I was in awe at how the clouds looked liked towns and cities. The plane never disturbed them, they maintained their shape and position. I knew that this was the next stopping place for us. In the clouds above Earth watching over loved ones, being close to them when it was time to bring them home, helping them with their journey from the living to the one of Eternal Life with our Heavenly Father.
Patty

Heaven can never truly be truly "described." I cannot imagine a place with no pain, suffering, sorrow, hunger or death, but cant wait until i am there. Singing eternal praise to God, reuniting with loved ones who have gone before. Then I think I can describe it in a way. Absolute Unimaginable Perfection!!!!! Thanks for getting my mind on such a wonderful subject!!!
Julia

I believe that heaven is ultimately beyond our current comprehension for the most part, but my understanding is that it will be always be light. There will be no darkness, no discontent, no need. Brightened by God's glory. We will be joyfully productive and we will be constantly worshiping and praising God. No infirmities. Perfect bodies (in the sense of health. I am not thinking our bodies will be as we understand them now.) Imperishable bodies. Matchless blessings. Heaven has been likened to a kingdom of transparent gold. A grandness that we cannot imagine, but we will be right there with God, with Jesus, which to me is again something I cannot yet wrap my mind around completely. As the song says, I can only imagine.
Paula